Although preventable, early childhood caries (ECC) is a burdening condition in all WHO regions, with Poland being one of the most affected countries in Europe. Effective home-based prevention of ECC is available and recommended by several expert bodies. Therefore, we wanted to determine how well parents were following selected oral health recommendations in preschool children. Additionally, we wanted to determine which socioeconomic factors influenced such practices the most, and how parents’ oral health literacy and behaviours affected the oral hygiene and oral health status of their children. A cross-sectional survey involving 2338 parents and caregivers of children from 167 kindergartens was performed. Children’s oral hygiene and oral health status were found to be associated with parents’ education and economic status. They were also strongly influenced by parental health literacy and behaviours. With respect to recommendations for preschoolers, the lowest adherence was found in the use of fluoride toothpaste and its age-appropriate amount, supervision of toothbrushing, and refraining from eating after last toothbrushing. The improvement in these areas could be achieved thanks to the involvement of health professionals such as gynaecologists, midwives, and primary care personnel in efforts aimed at increasing parents’ oral health knowledge and literacy.

Maternal knowledge, literacy, and behaviours in the area of oral health may greatly influence the risk of caries and the oral health status of children from the youngest age. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate paediatric oral health knowledge and literacy as well as maternal oral health behaviours and outcomes among expectant mothers. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 400 pregnant inpatients aged 17–48 years (mean age 29.5 ± 5.3 years) in 31 public maternity wards in the Wielkopolska region, Poland. An anonymous, self-designed questionnaire was prepared on the basis of current oral health recommendations. Pregnancy complications were reported by 195 (48.8%), and permanent tooth extractions by 158 (39.5%) women. Knowledge and literacy scores were associated with, among other things, maternal education, selected oral hygiene practices, and reported extractions of permanent teeth. Although participants had some correct information regarding oral health, they had insufficient awareness of caries as an infectious disease and of the appropriate timing for the child’s first dental visit. Their self-assessment of oral health status and belief that they were under dental care tended to be overly optimistic, given their self-reported outcomes. These aspects should be considered in future health education efforts among expectant women.

Background: Intravenous nutrient therapies (IVNTs) have gained popularity on the commercial market. Targeted at people with a variety of ailments and needs, the procedures allegedly offer numerous benefits and quick results, widely advertised on the websites of drip bars and health clinics as well as in the available literature. What is less often presented is the point of view of the customers of such services and the opinions of health personnel. Although the latter perspective seems to be crucial, little is known about it. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to present the opinions and experiences of health professionals (n = 188) on commercially available IVNTs dedicated to adults. Methods: The study was conducted between April 2019 and March 2020 by means of a survey using an ad hoc questionnaire made available mainly to health professionals attending public health postgraduate courses at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland. Results: As many as 91.5% of the respondents had heard of commercially available IVNTs (mostly from the media), and 47.3% knew of a facility offering such services. Among the possible situations where the use of IVNTs would be justified, the most commonly mentioned was a diagnosed nutrient deficiency (37.8%), while the least common ones were libido problems (1.1%) and the need to speed up metabolism (2.1%). For 25.5% of the respondents, there was no good rationale for using IVNTs. As many as 15.4% had no opinion on the subject. Health risks of IVNTs were recognised by 95.2% of professionals, with the biggest concerns being the lack of full information on patients’ health status and medical contraindications (84%), the risk of overdose and interactions (77.1%), and hypersensitivity or allergic reactions (75.5%). Among the reasons for IVNTs’ popularity, the respondents listed not only fads spread by celebrities and social media (89.4%) and the need for quick, effortless remedies (77.1%), but also reasons inherent in the Polish healthcare system. As many as 80.3% of the respondents stressed the need for public health institutions to take a stand on commercial IVNTs. Knowing of an IVNT facility was not significantly associated with the opinions of professionals in key areas. Conclusion: Postgraduate public health courses are a good opportunity to engage health professionals in discussions about the current challenges, trends, and needs in the area of health promotion and healthcare. This study’s findings shed some light on the opinions about IVNTs held by health professionals, who are important stakeholders of the healthcare system. Thus, these findings may help to better understand the popularity of IVNTs and incorporate health professionals’ perspectives in future efforts aiming to increase the awareness of IVNT-related health risks among both professionals and patients.