Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Dental Caries Experience (dental + caries_experience)
Selected AbstractsFactors Associated with Dental Caries Experience in 1-Year-Old ChildrenJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2008John J. Warren DDS Abstract Objectives: Dental caries in early childhood is an important public health problem. Previous studies have examined risk factors, but they have focused on children during the later stages of the disease process. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with caries in children aged 6 to 24 months as part of a cross-sectional analysis. Methods: Two hundred twelve mothers with children 6 to 24 months of age were recruited from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinic sites in southeastern Iowa for participation in a longitudinal study of dental caries. Baseline assessments included detailed questions regarding the children's beverage consumption, oral hygiene, and family socioeconomic status. Dental caries examinations using the d1d2-3f criteria and semiquantitative assessments of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) levels of mother and child were also conducted. Counts of the number of teeth with visible plaque were recorded for maxillary and mandibular molars and incisors. Results: Of the 212 child/mother pairs, 187 children had teeth. Among these children, the mean age was 14 months, and 23 of the children exhibited either d1, d2-3, or filled lesions. Presence of caries was significantly associated with older age, presence of MS in children, family income <$25,000 per year, and proportion of teeth with visible plaque. Conclusions: Results suggest that not only microbial measures, including MS and plaque levels, are closely associated with caries in very young children, but that other age-related factors may also be associated with caries. Continued study is necessary to more fully assess the risk factors for caries prevalence and incidence in preschool children. [source] Specific Caries Index: A New System for Describing Untreated Dental Caries Experience in Developing CountriesJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 4 2006Shashidhar Acharya MDS Abstract Objectives:To develop a reproducible surface-specific caries index that provided qualitative and quantitative information about untreated dental caries, that could be used in conjunction with the DMFS index and would provide information on not only the caries prevalence but also the location and type of caries lesion in an individual based on clinical examination. Methods:Untreated carious lesions were divided into six types based on the location of the lesions.339 rural school children in the age group of 12,15 years were examined for dental caries using both the DMFS index and the Specific Caries Index. Results:Type 1 and 2 were found to be the most common type of caries lesions. The reproducibility of the Specific Caries Index was also found to be good. Conclusions:Encouraging indications about the validity and reproducibility of this new caries index was found, suggesting the need for further studies to test its applicability in larger and different populations. [source] Dental Caries Experience and Factors among Preschoolers in Southeastern Mexico: A Brief CommunicationJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2006América Segovia-Villanueva MSc Abstract Objective: To examine the Association between dental caries prevalence and selected variables in preschool children. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,303 preschoolers (ages 3,6 years old), and the mothers completed questionnaires. The children were examined by one of three standardized dental examiners. Logistic regression was performed to identify Associations between dental caries and other factors. Results: Mean dmft was 1.54+2.47, with 44.1% of children having dmft>O. Caries prevalence was Associated with older children (OR=1.39); medium (OR=1.66) and low (OR=2.41) socioeconomic levels; mediocre (OR=l.71) and inadequate (OR=2.25) hygiene; negative attitude toward oral health (OR=1.51); and the presence of enamel defects (OR= 1.74). Conclusion: Both overall caries prevalence and dmft index were relatively low. The results of this study substantiate previous reports in the international literature for clinical, behavior, socio-demographic, and socio-economic variables that contribute to dental caries in Mexican children. [source] Dental caries experience in children with congenital heart disease: a case-control studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2004C. Stecksén-Blicks Summary. Objectives., To compare the dental health of a group of children with complex congenital heart disease with that of age and gender matched healthy controls. Design., Case-control study. Setting., Faculty of Medicine and Odontology/Pediatric cardiology and Pedodontics, Umeĺ University, Sweden. Sample and Methods., All the cases and their controls lived in the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden. Each group comprised 41 children with a mean age of 6·5 years. Data were collected from medical and dental records while all bitewing radiographs were read separately by one of the authors. Results., Children with congenital heart disease had significantly more caries in their primary teeth than the control group. The mean dmfs-value was 5·2 ± 7·0 in the cardiac group compared to 2·2 ± 3·5 in the control group (P < 0·05). Twenty-six of the children had all four 6-year-molars, and their mean DMFS-values were 0·9 ± 1·9 in the cardiac group compared to 0·3 ± 0·6 in the control group (P > 0·05). The children with congenital heart disease had received more caries prevention based on the use of fluorides than the control group. There was a significant correlation between the number of fluoride varnish treatments and the dmfs value of the child (r = 0·411, P < 0·01). Fifty-two per cent of the children in the cardiac group had been prescribed fluoride tablets on one or more occasions compared to 17% in the control group (P < 0·01). Number of months on digoxin medication and the dmfs-value had a significant correlation (r = 0·368, P < 0·05). Ten of the children had been on digoxin medication between 6 and 87 months; this subgroup had a mean dmfs-value of 10·1 ± 8·5. Conclusion., Swedish children with complex congenital heart disease have poorer dental health than healthy age and gender matched controls in spite of intensive preventive efforts. In many cases, intervention had been given when caries were present. A closer cooperation between paediatric cardiology and paediatric dentistry is needed. [source] Dental caries experience in young Australian Army recruits 2008AUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009MS Hopcraft Abstract Background:, Recent studies have shown a substantial decline in caries experience in Australian Army recruits between 1996 and 2002,2003, and in Australian adults between 1987,1988 and 2004,2006. However, studies in children have reported an increasing trend in caries experience between 1998 and 2002. The aim of this study was to investigate caries experience in Australian Army recruits in 2008. Methods:, A cross-sectional study involving 1084 Australian Army recruits was conducted from January to May 2008. Data were obtained from a clinical dental examination with bitewing radiographs, and a questionnaire elicited socio-demographic data and history on lifetime exposure to fluoridated drinking water. Results:, Mean DMFT scores were 3.16, 4.08, 5.16 and 7.11 for recruits aged 17,20, 21,25, 26,30 and 31,35 years, respectively. Recruits with a lifetime exposure to fluoridated drinking water had a mean DMFT of 3.02, while recruits with no exposure had a mean DMFT of 3.87. Conclusions:, Caries experience in Australian Army recruits aged 17,25 years increased between 2002,2003 and 2008. Recruits with lifetime exposure to fluoridated drinking water had 25 per cent less caries experience compared with recruits who had no exposure to fluoridated drinking water after adjusting for the effects of age, gender, education and socio-economic status. [source] Trajectories of dental anxiety in a birth cohortCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009W. M. Thomson Abstract,,,Objective:, To examine predictors of dental anxiety trajectories in a longitudinal study of New Zealanders. Methods: Prospective study of a complete birth cohort born in 1972/73 in Dunedin, New Zealand, with dental anxiety scale (DAS) scores and dental utilization determined at ages 15, 18, 26 and 32 years. Personality traits were assessed at a superfactor and (more fine-grained) subscale level via the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire at age 18 years. Group-based trajectory analysis was used to identify dental anxiety trajectories. Results: DAS scores from at least three assessments were available for 828 participants. Six dental anxiety trajectories were observed: stable nonanxious low (39.6%); stable nonanxious medium (37.9%); recovery (1.6%); adult-onset anxious (7.7%); stable anxious (7.2%) and adolescent-onset anxious (5.9%). Multivariate analysis showed that males and those with higher DMFS at age 15 years were more likely to be in the stable nonanxious low trajectory group. Membership of the stable nonanxious medium group was predicted by the dental caries experience at age 15 years. Participants who had lost one or more teeth between ages 26 and 32 years had almost twice the relative risk for membership of the adult-onset anxious group. Personality traits predicted group membership. Specifically, high scorers (via median split) on the ,stress reaction' subscale had over twice the risk of being in the stable anxious group; low scorers on the traditionalism subscale were more likely to be members of the recovery trajectory group; and high scorers on the ,social closeness' subscale had half the risk of being in the stable anxious group. Dental caries experience at age 5 years was also a predictor for the stable anxious group. Membership of the late-adolescent-onset anxious group was predicted by higher dental caries experience by age 15 years, but none of the other predictors was significant. Conclusion: Six discrete trajectories of dental anxiety have been observed. Some trajectories (totalling more than 90% of the cohort) had clear associations with external influences, but others were more strongly associated with characteristics such as personality traits. A mix of both influences was observed with only the stable anxious dental anxiety trajectory. [source] Predicting the experience of dentinal caries or restorative dental treatment in adolescents using D1 and D3 visual caries assessmentsCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Nigel Nuttall Abstract Standardised epidemiological caries assessments used in oral health surveys have been shown to be poor at predicting whether a tooth surface will be treated restoratively when a patient visits a dentist. However, it has been argued that oral health surveys may be more relevant in determining needs at the level of an individual or groups of individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the discriminatory power of visual caries assessments at two thresholds (D1 & D3) in adolescents of average age 12.1 years to predict experience of dentinal caries 3 years later or the experience of restorative treatment (not re-treatment) during the 3-year period. The data was derived from a prospective 3-year longitudinal study in which the dental care provided by 41 dentists for 403 adolescents was monitored. Dental caries experience was monitored by annual standardised assessments of caries undertaken by a single trained examiner. ROC analysis showed that caries assessed visually at the D1 threshold in 12-year-olds was a better predictor (P < 0.001) of experiencing some dentinal caries after 3 years (Az = 0.781) than was caries assessed visually at D3 threshold in 12-year-olds (Az = 0.670). Assessing caries visually at either the D1 or the D3 threshold had no discriminatory power for predicting whether an individual would experience some restorative treatment during the ensuing 3-year period (Az for D1 = 0.507; Az for D3 = 0.518). [source] Dental caries and associated factors in 12-year-old schoolchildren in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, IndiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 6 2005J. DAVID Summary Objectives. The aims of the present study were to describe the dental health status of 12-year-old schoolchildren in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, and to identify sociodemographic factors, oral health behaviours, attitudes and knowledge related to dental caries experience. Methods. The study took the form of a cross-sectional survey of 838 children in upper primary schools. A two-stage cluster sampling technique was used. Dental caries was measured using World Health Organization criteria. Sociodemographic factors, oral health behaviours, attitudes and knowledge were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Results. The prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition was 27%. The mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth was 0·5 (SD = 0·9). The decayed component (D) constituted 91% of the total number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that children had a higher risk of having dental caries if they lived in urban area [OR = 1·5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·1,2·1], had visited a dentist (OR = 1·6, 95% CI = 1·2,2·2), did not use a toothbrush (OR = 1·9, 95% CI = 1·2,2·9), consumed sweets (OR = 1·4, 95% CI = 1·0,1·9) or performed poorly in school (OR = 1·7, 95% CI = 1·0,2·3). Conclusions. The prevalence of caries in this sample of 12-year-old schoolchildren was low compared to that in other developing countries. The present study indicated that urban living conditions were associated with more dental caries. Since urbanization is rapid in India, oral health promotion at the present time would be valuable to prevent increased caries prevalence. [source] Oral health status in relation to ethnicity of children in the Municipality of Copenhagen, DenmarkINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 3 2003A. Sundby Summary. Approximately 25% of children under the age of 18 in the Municipality of Copenhagen have a non-Danish ethnic background, and it is suspected that there may be major inequalities in oral health as a result. Objectives. The objectives of this study were to describe the occurrence of dental caries in different ethnic minorities, and to analyse whether the dental caries experience of the children may be affected by cultural and behavioural differences. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in Copenhagen as a cross-sectional investigation of 794 children, aged 3 and 5 years old (preschool), 7 years old (Grade 1) and 15 years old (Grade 9). Children of Danish, Turkish, Pakistani, Albanian, Somali and Arabian backgrounds were selected by convenience sampling. Epidemiological data were retrieved from the Danish Recording System for the Public Dental Health Services (SCOR) and sociological data were collected by postal questionnaires. Results. Marked differences in dental caries prevalence were observed when different ethnic minorities were compared to Danish children. These were most prominent for the primary dentition. At age 7, 53% of the Danish and 84% of the Albanian children were affected by dental caries, the mean caries experience was 3·5 dmfs (decayed, missed and filled surfaces) and 13·8 dmfs, respectively. Caries in incisors and/or smooth surfaces was observed in 10% of the Danish children and 48% of the Albanian children. There were cultural differences in dental attendance and self-care practices of children and parents. These socio-behavioural factors may help to explain the differences in dental caries prevalence and severity. Conclusions. Development of appropriate oral health promotion strategies is urgently needed to improve oral health behaviour and attitudes of parents and children of ethnic minorities. Preventive programs should be organized at local community level in close collaboration with key persons of ethnic minority societies. [source] A Comparison of Dental Caries Levels in Two Communities with Different Oral Health Prevention Strategies Stratified in Different Social ClassesJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 1 2007Darius Sagheri PhD Abstract Objectives: To compare dental caries levels of schoolchildren stratified in different social classes whose domestic water supply had been fluoridated since birth (Dublin) with those living in an area where fluoridated salt was available (Freiburg). Methods: A representative, random sample of twelve-year-old children was examined and dental caries was recorded using World Health Organization criteria. Results: A total of 699 twelve-year-old children were examined, 377 were children in Dublin and 322 in Freiburg. In Dublin the mean decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) was 0.80 and in Freiburg it was 0.69. An examination of the distribution of the DMFT score revealed that its distribution is highly positively skewed. For this reason this study provides summary analyses based on medians and inter-quartile range and nonparametric rank sum tests. In both cities caries levels of children in social class 1 (highest) were considerably lower when compared with the other social classes regardless of the fluoride intervention model used. The caries levels showed a reduced disparity between children in social class 2 (medium) and 3 (lowest) in Dublin compared with those in social class 2 and 3 in Freiburg. Conclusions: The evidence from this study confirmed that water fluoridation has reduced the gap in dental caries experience between medium and lower social classes in Dublin compared with the greater difference in caries experience between the equivalent social classes in Freiburg. The results from this study established the important role of salt fluoridation where water fluoridation is not feasible. [source] Apgar score and dental caries risk in the primary dentition of five year oldsAUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2010AE Sanders Abstract Background:, Conditions in utero and early life underlie risk for several childhood disorders. This study tested the hypothesis that the Apgar score predicted dental caries in the primary dentition. Methods:, A retrospective cohort study conducted in 2003 examined associations between conditions at birth and early life with dental caries experience at five years. Dental examination data for a random sample of five-year-old South Australian children were obtained from School Dental Service electronic records. A questionnaire mailed to the parents obtained information about neonatal status at delivery (five-minute Apgar score, birthweight, plurality, gestational age) and details about birth order, weaning, and behavioural, familial and sociodemographic characteristics. Results:, Of the 1398 sampled children with a completed questionnaire (response rate = 64.6%), 1058 were singleton term deliveries among whom prevalence of dental caries was 40.1%. In weighted log-binomial regression analysis, children with an Apgar score of <=8 relative to a score of 9,10 had greater probability of dental caries in the primary dentition after adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioural covariates and water fluoridation concentration (adjusted PR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.95). Conclusions:, Readily accessible markers of early life, such as the Apgar score, may guide clinicians in identifying children at potentially heightened risk for dental caries and aid decision-making in allocating preventive services. [source] Trajectories of dental anxiety in a birth cohortCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009W. M. Thomson Abstract,,,Objective:, To examine predictors of dental anxiety trajectories in a longitudinal study of New Zealanders. Methods: Prospective study of a complete birth cohort born in 1972/73 in Dunedin, New Zealand, with dental anxiety scale (DAS) scores and dental utilization determined at ages 15, 18, 26 and 32 years. Personality traits were assessed at a superfactor and (more fine-grained) subscale level via the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire at age 18 years. Group-based trajectory analysis was used to identify dental anxiety trajectories. Results: DAS scores from at least three assessments were available for 828 participants. Six dental anxiety trajectories were observed: stable nonanxious low (39.6%); stable nonanxious medium (37.9%); recovery (1.6%); adult-onset anxious (7.7%); stable anxious (7.2%) and adolescent-onset anxious (5.9%). Multivariate analysis showed that males and those with higher DMFS at age 15 years were more likely to be in the stable nonanxious low trajectory group. Membership of the stable nonanxious medium group was predicted by the dental caries experience at age 15 years. Participants who had lost one or more teeth between ages 26 and 32 years had almost twice the relative risk for membership of the adult-onset anxious group. Personality traits predicted group membership. Specifically, high scorers (via median split) on the ,stress reaction' subscale had over twice the risk of being in the stable anxious group; low scorers on the traditionalism subscale were more likely to be members of the recovery trajectory group; and high scorers on the ,social closeness' subscale had half the risk of being in the stable anxious group. Dental caries experience at age 5 years was also a predictor for the stable anxious group. Membership of the late-adolescent-onset anxious group was predicted by higher dental caries experience by age 15 years, but none of the other predictors was significant. Conclusion: Six discrete trajectories of dental anxiety have been observed. Some trajectories (totalling more than 90% of the cohort) had clear associations with external influences, but others were more strongly associated with characteristics such as personality traits. A mix of both influences was observed with only the stable anxious dental anxiety trajectory. [source] Lifetime fluoridation exposure and dental caries experience in a military populationCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Gregory Mahoney Abstract,,, While there is good evidence of caries-preventive benefits of fluoride in drinking water among children and adolescents, there is little information about effectiveness of water fluoridation among adults. Objectives:, To determine whether exposure to fluoride in drinking water is associated with caries experience in Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. Methods:, Cross-sectional study of 876 deployable ADF personnel aged 17,56 years. At each person's mandatory annual dental examination, military dentists recorded the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) using visual, tactile and radiographic criteria. Participants also completed a questionnaire, listing residential locations in each year from 1964 to 2003. People were classified into four categories according to the percentage of their lifetime living in places with fluoridated water: <10%, 10% to <50%, 50% to <90% and ,90%. Mean DMFT was compared among those categories of fluoridation exposure and the association was evaluated statistically using analysis of variance to adjust for age, sex, years of service and rank. Results:, Without adjustment for confounders, the mean DMFT (±95% confidence interval) was 6.3 ± 0.8 for <10% fluoridation exposure, 7.8 ± 0.8 for 10% to <50% exposure, 7.5 ± 0.7 for 50% to <90% exposure and 4.6 ± 0.6 for ,90% exposure (P < 0.01). However, age was inversely associated with mean DMFT and in the <10% exposure group, 91% of people were aged <35 years. Service rank was also significantly associated with both fluoridation exposure and DMFT. After adjustment for all covariates, mean DMFT was 24% lower among people in the two groups with ,50% exposure compared with the <10% exposure group. Conclusions:, Degree of lifetime exposure to fluoridated drinking water was inversely associated with DMFT in a dose,response manner among this adult military population. [source] Changes in parent-assessed oral health-related quality of life among young children following dental treatment under general anaestheticCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008P. E. Malden Abstract,,, Objective:, To estimate the nature and magnitude of changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among children having dental treatment under general anaesthetic (GA) and to examine the evaluative properties of the Child Oral Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (COHQOL©). Methods:, Data from a consecutive clinical sample of the parents/caregivers of children receiving dental treatment under GA at Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals were collected from parents using the Parental-Caregivers Perception Questionnaire (P-CPQ) and the Family Impact Scale (FIS), which both form part of the COHQOL© Questionnaire. The first questionnaire was completed before treatment or while the participant's child was undergoing treatment. The follow-up questionnaire was completed 1,4 weeks afterward. Treatment-associated changes in OHRQoL were determined by comparing baseline and follow-up data for the mean scores and the prevalence of impacts. The discriminative properties of the instrument were confirmed and then its evaluative properties were assessed (by examining its test,retest reliability, responsiveness and longitudinal construct validity). The minimally important difference was determined for the overall scale and subscales. Results:, Complete baseline and follow-up data were obtained for 202 and 130 participants, respectively (64.4% follow-up rate). The evaluative properties of the P-CPQ and FIS were acceptable. There were substantial and highly statistically significant reductions in mean P-CPQ and FIS scores after treatment, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to large, depending on the subscale being examined. The minimally important difference was shown by almost two-thirds of the children treated. Conclusion:, The provision of dental treatment under GA for young children with severe dental caries experience is associated with substantial and highly significant improvements in both their OHRQoL and in the impact on their families. The P-CPQ and the FIS show promise as evaluative measures for use in dental health services research. [source] Pattern of dental caries experience on tooth surfaces in an adult populationCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Matthew Scott Hopcraft Abstract , Objectives:, To determine the pattern of caries experience across teeth and surfaces in an adult population depending on age and exposure to water fluoridation. Methods:, Between November 2002 and March 2003 a total of 973 subjects aged 17,51 years had a clinical examination using visual and tactile criteria. Subsequent to this examination, bitewing radiographs were taken and viewed separately. Approximal and occlusal surfaces of molars and premolars were examined on the radiographs. Results:, Caries experience was relatively low, with mean DMFS scores of 3.21, 5.12, 9.61, 13.04 and 24.35 for subjects aged 17,20, 21,25, 26,30, 31,35 and 36,51 years respectively. The first molar teeth had the greatest caries experience, and occlusal surfaces had more caries experience than approximal surfaces. Subjects with a lifetime exposure to fluoridated drinking water had significantly lower caries experience than those who had no exposure to fluoridated drinking water. Conclusion:, This study showed that caries prevalence, although relatively low in the study population, was found predominantly in occlusal surfaces, with an increasing prevalence in approximal surfaces of posterior teeth in older subjects. Subjects with a lifetime exposure to fluoridated drinking water had a lower level of caries experience than those with no exposure to fluoridated drinking water, and this was more noticeable in approximal surfaces than occlusal surfaces. [source] Use of the Significant Caries Index in quantifying the changes in caries in Switzerland from 1964 to 2000COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Thomas Marthaler Abstract , Objectives:, To follow the changes in the Significant Caries Index (SiC) and the DMFT during the period 1964,2000 in children aged 12 and 15 in the Canton of Zurich. Methods:, Examinations of random samples of children in 16 communities of the Canton were repeated every 4 years from 1964 onwards using the same standards for diagnosing caries. Results:, In the 12-year-olds, the children in the low tertile had virtually no DMF-experience from 1980 on. On the contrary, the SiC, based on the children in the highest tertile, decreased until 1996. At the age of 15, the zero-average in the low tertile was reached in 1992 but the SiC continued to decrease until 2000. In the 12-year age group the reduction of the SiC from 1964 to 1996 was 81.3% and for the overall DMFT it was 89.7%. The corresponding reductions for the 15-year-olds, in this case from 1964 to 2000, were 77.0 and 88.4%, respectively. The DMFT-counts in the total samples had substantially higher coefficients of variation than those in the highest tertile. As a consequence, the SiC had relatively smaller confidence intervals than the average DMFT. Conclusions:, The SiC is a very useful measure of dental caries experience. On the basis of the results in the 15-year-old group, the target of an SiC below 5.0 is proposed. The decline of the SiC demonstrates that even in the high-risk children caries experience has been reduced substantially. [source] The life course approach: explaining the association between height and dental caries in Brazilian adolescentsCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Belinda Nicolau Abstract , Aim:, To investigate the relationship between height and dental caries in Brazilian adolescents. Methods:, A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect retrospective data. Of 764 eligible 13-year-old adolescents enrolled in urban private or public schools in a Brazilian town, 652 were clinically examined and interviewed. Data were collected on socioeconomic circumstances, family related variables, oral health behaviour and anthropometric measures (height and weight). Dental caries was measured by decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index. The DMFT was categorized according to two levels of severity (low DMFT , 6; high DMFT > 6) using the 75th percentile of the distribution as the cut-off point. Data analysis involved multiple logistic regression. Results:, Adolescents who were the second or later child were 1.90 times more likely to have a high DMFT, whilst being a taller adolescent had a protective effect on caries experience (OR = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.00,0.79). In addition, adolescents from rural areas (OR = 2.74; 95% CI = 1.56,4.82), those whose mothers had less than 8 years of education (OR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.03,4.27) and those who reported high levels of paternal punishment (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.02,2.52) had an increased risk of having a high DMFT. Conclusion:, There is a relationship between height and dental caries experience in this sample of Brazilian adolescents. [source] | ||||||||||