Assessing risk indicators for dental caries in the primary dentition

The aim of the present study was to assess indicators shown to be associate d with the prevalence of caries in the primary dentition of 7-year-old Flem ish schoolchildren. Cross-sectional first year data of the longitudinal Sig nal-Tandmobiel (R) survey were analysed (n=4468). Gender, age, oral hygiene habits, use of fluorides, dietary habits, geographical factors and parenta l modelling were the considered predictors. From the multiple logistic regr ession analysis, including schools as a random effect, and after adjusting for the confounding variables-educational system and province (stratificati on variables), gender and age-it became dear that the following risk indica tors remained significant (at 5% level) for the presence of caries: frequen cy of toothbrushing (P=0.05) with an OR 1.24 for brushing less than once a day, age at start of brushing (P <0.001) with an OR=129 for a delay of 1 ye arn regular use of fluoride supplements (P <0.001) with an OR=1.54 for no u se, daily use of sugar-containing drinks between meals (P <0.001) with an O R=1.38, and number of between-meals snacks (P=0.012) with an OR=1.22 for us ing more than 2 between-meal snacks. There was a significant difference (P <0.05) in caries experience determined by the geographical spread, with an explicit trend of caries declining from the east to the west. In a model wi th an ordinal response outcome, the daily use of sugar-containing drinks be tween meals had a more pronounced effect when caries levels were high. From this study it became obvious that, in Flemish children, an early start of brushing and a brushing frequency of at least once a day need to be encoura ged, while the use of sugar-containing drinks and snacks between meals need s to be restricted to a maximum of 2 per day. Geographical differences need to be investigated in more detail.