Peningkatan Pengetahuan Orang Tua dan Anak tentang Status Gizi dan Pencegahan Karies Gigi Molar Pertama Permanen pada Anak Usia Sekolah

Marisa Elvi Dayanti (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)
Eka Setyawardana (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)
Resta Dwi Yuliani (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)
Febrilian Surya Effendy (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)
Citra Nabilah Hanifatur Rozi (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)

JUARA: JURNAL WAHANA ABDIMAS SEJAHTERA
Volume 7 Nomor 2 Juli 2026

Dental caries remains one of the most common health problems among school-aged children and may negatively affect nutritional status and quality of life. Limited understanding of the importance of the first permanent molar, inadequate oral health maintenance behaviors, and the lack of integrated dental health and nutrition education contribute to the high risk of dental caries in children. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of a dental health and nutritional status education program in improving parents' and children's knowledge regarding first permanent molar maintenance. This study employed a pre-experimental design using a one-group pre-test and post-test approach. The study involved 74 respondents who participated in the educational program. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test questionnaires assessing knowledge of first permanent molars, dental caries, toothbrushing behavior, healthy dietary habits, the relationship between nutritional status and oral health, and the importance of regular dental visits. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequency distributions and percentages. The results showed that respondents' knowledge before the intervention was generally good, with an average pre-test score of 85.8%. However, knowledge regarding proper toothbrushing techniques was relatively low, with only 29.7% of respondents answering correctly. Following the educational intervention, all knowledge indicators demonstrated good results, ranging from 81.08% to 89.19%. Most respondents also understood the relationship between oral health and nutritional status, the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables, and the need for regular dental check-ups to prevent dental caries. The study concludes that the dental health and nutritional status education program was effective in improving respondents' knowledge regarding first permanent molar maintenance and dental caries prevention. The involvement of parents, teachers, and health professionals is essential to support sustainable oral health behavior changes among school-aged children.