Dental plaque, preventive care, and tooth brushing associated with dental caries in primary teeth in schoolchildren ages 6-9 years of Leon, Nicaragua.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of various risk indicators for dental caries on primary teeth of Nicaraguan children (from Leon, Nicaragua) ages 6 to 9, using the negative binomial regression model.

MATERIAL/METHODS:

A cross-sectional study was carried out to collect clinical, demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral data from 794 schoolchildren ages 6 to 9 years, randomly selected from 25 schools in the city of León, Nicaragua. Clinical examinations for dental caries (dmft index) were performed by 2 trained and standardized examiners. Socio-demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral data were self-reported using questionnaires. Multivariate negative binomial regression (NBR) analysis was used.

RESULTS:

Mean age was 7.49 ± 1.12 years. Boys accounted for 50.1% of the sample. Mean dmft was 3.54 ± 3.13 and caries prevalence (dmft >0) was 77.6%. In the NBR multivariate model (p<0.05), for each year of age, the expected mean dmft decreased by 7.5%. Brushing teeth at least once a day and having received preventive dental care in the last year before data collection were associated with declines in the expected mean dmft by 19.5% and 69.6%, respectively. Presence of dental plaque increased the expected mean dmft by 395.5%.

CONCLUSIONS:

The proportion of students with caries in this sample was high. We found associations between dental caries in the primary dentition and dental plaque, brushing teeth at least once a day, and having received preventive dental care. To improve oral health, school programs and/or age-appropriate interventions need to be developed based on the specific profile of caries experience and the associated risk indicators.

• Authors: Miriam del Socorro Herrera, Carlo Eduardo Medina-Solís, Mirna Minaya-Sánchez, América Patricia Pontigo-Loyola, Juan José Villalobos-Rodelo, Horacio Islas-Granillo, Rubén de la Rosa-Santillana, Gerardo Maupomé
• Journal: Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research (Med Sci Monit) Vol. 19 Pg. 1019-26 (Nov 19 2013) ISSN: 1643-3750 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24247119 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Child
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Dental Caries (epidemiology, etiology, pathology, prevention & control)
• Dental Plaque (complications, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Nicaragua (epidemiology)
• Regression Analysis
• Risk Factors
• Socioeconomic Factors
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Tooth, Deciduous (pathology)
• Toothbrushing (statistics & numerical data)