L Mora León1, J Martínez Olmos. 1. Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Campus Universitario de Cartuja, Granada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate caries prevalence and associated factors in children 2-5 years old in a deprived community. DESIGN: Transversal, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Paediatric services. Health centres of Almanjáyar and Cartuja in Granada (Spain). PATIENTS: 173 children attending to a pediatric revision. MEASUREMENTS: Children's odontological examination and revision of clinical records followed by structured interview with the mother or tutor. Target variables were caries, sociodemographic factors, nutritional habits, oral hygiene, medical antecedents, familiar experience of caries and use of dentistry services. RESULTS: Total prevalence of caries was 37%, but 29% among the majority population and 58% in the gipsy group. Statistically significant associated factors with caries were: increasing age (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2-3.2), father unemployment (OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.3-9.9), high consumption of sweets (OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.1-8.5), deficient oral hygiene (OR = 9.3, 95% CI = 3.4-24.7), mother's consultation for toothache or tooth extraction (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.1-7.9) and not attendance to dentistry services due to high costs or fear (OR = 4.3, 95% CI = 1.5-12.4). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of caries in the gipsy population is very high, and it is probably associated with factors previously reported but not yet controlled. There is a need to initiate therapeutic and preventive measures in this community, and to detect barriers and facilitate the use of public dentistry services.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate caries prevalence and associated factors in children 2-5 years old in a deprived community. DESIGN: Transversal, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Paediatric services. Health centres of Almanjáyar and Cartuja in Granada (Spain). PATIENTS: 173 children attending to a pediatric revision. MEASUREMENTS: Children's odontological examination and revision of clinical records followed by structured interview with the mother or tutor. Target variables were caries, sociodemographic factors, nutritional habits, oral hygiene, medical antecedents, familiar experience of caries and use of dentistry services. RESULTS: Total prevalence of caries was 37%, but 29% among the majority population and 58% in the gipsy group. Statistically significant associated factors with caries were: increasing age (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2-3.2), father unemployment (OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.3-9.9), high consumption of sweets (OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.1-8.5), deficient oral hygiene (OR = 9.3, 95% CI = 3.4-24.7), mother's consultation for toothache or tooth extraction (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.1-7.9) and not attendance to dentistry services due to high costs or fear (OR = 4.3, 95% CI = 1.5-12.4). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of caries in the gipsy population is very high, and it is probably associated with factors previously reported but not yet controlled. There is a need to initiate therapeutic and preventive measures in this community, and to detect barriers and facilitate the use of public dentistry services.