Neighbourhood Determinants of Caries Experience in Preschool Children: A Multilevel Study

A scoping review of the links between early childhood caries and clean water and sanitation: the Sustainable Development Goal 6

INTRODUCTION

The United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 calls for universal access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which are crucial elements of health and well-being and fundamental for a life in dignity. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable disease affecting health and quality of life of millions of young children worldwide. This scoping review aims to explore the connection between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation.

METHODS

This scoping review, registered on the Open Science Framework and following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, conducted a thorough search in databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, SciELO) and websites (via Google) in November 2023. The search, without date limitations, targeted studies in English and Spanish linking ECC to SDG6. Exclusions were made for studies solely focusing on ECC without a direct connection to clean water and sanitation. Descriptive statistics summarized the retrieved papers.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 303 articles. After removing duplicates, 264 articles remained for title and abstract screening after which 244 were excluded and one report was added through citation searching. The 21 remaining articles underwent full text review. There were no studies on a direct association between access to clean water and sanitation and the prevalence of ECC. There were nine studies that showed indirect associations between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation through the links of: water and sanitation access as a marker for poverty (n = 1), water consumption as a feeding practice (n = 4), and the effectiveness of water fluoridation (n = 4). These were used to develop a conceptual model.

CONCLUSIONS

While it is conceivable that a direct link exists between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation, the available body of research only offers evidence of indirect associations. The exploration of potential pathways connecting water access to ECC warrants further investigation in future research.

A scoping review on the associations between early childhood caries and sustainable cities and communities using the sustainable development goal 11 framework

BACKGROUND

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a multifactorial disease in which environmental factors could play a role. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the published literature that assessed the association between the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which tried to make cities and human settlements safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, and ECC.

METHODS

This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. In July 2023, a search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using tailored search terms related to housing, urbanization, waste management practices, and ECC. Studies that solely examined ECC prevalence without reference to SDG11 goals were excluded. Of those that met the inclusion criteria, a summary highlighting the countries and regions where the studies were conducted, the study designs employed, and the findings were done. In addition, the studies were also linked to relevant SDG11 targets.

RESULTS

Ten studies met the inclusion criteria with none from the African Region. Six studies assessed the association between housing and ECC, with findings suggesting that children whose parents owned a house had lower ECC prevalence and severity. Other house related parameters explored were size, number of rooms, cost and building materials used. The only study on the relationship between the prevalence of ECC and waste management modalities at the household showed no statistically significant association. Five studies identified a relationship between urbanization and ECC (urbanization, size, and remoteness of the residential) with results suggesting that there was no significant link between ECC and urbanization in high-income countries contrary to observations in low and middle-income countries. No study assessed the relationship between living in slums, natural disasters and ECC. We identified links between ECC and SDG11.1 and SDG 11.3. The analysis of the findings suggests a plausible link between ECC and SDG11C (Supporting least developed countries to build resilient buildings).

CONCLUSION

There are few studies identifying links between ECC and SDG11, with the findings suggesting the possible differences in the impact of urbanization on ECC by country income-level and home ownership as a protective factor from ECC. Further research is needed to explore measures of sustainable cities and their links with ECC within the context of the SDG11.

Comparative study of the dental health of 4-year-old children in north-eastern France between 2001 and 2018

PURPOSE

To analyse the evolution of the oral health of 4-year-old children in nursery school between 2001 and 2018 as well as the early predictor and associated risk factors, in different school areas.

METHODS

We compared (1) the prevalence of ECC (4 ≥ dmft ≥ 1) and S-ECC (dmft ≥ 5) of 4-year-old children and (2) data obtained by a structured questionnaire completed by their parents from two studies performed in 2001 and 2018. Data were analysed using the Chi2 test and odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

A total of 322 children and of 425 children randomly selected among Moselle's public nursery schools in north-eastern France were, respectively, included in the study in 2001 and 2018. The prevalence of ECC was respectively 40.70% and 21.65% in 2001 and 2018 (p < 0.001; OR = 2.48; 95% CI = 1.78-3.47). We also observed a decrease of S-ECC prevalence (10.56% in 2001 vs 5.90% in 2018, p < 0.05, OR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.07-3.38). The intake of cariogenic food (sweet drink, biscuits, candies, milk, baby bottle) decreased but the knowledge of parents concerning cariogenic food did not improve. The proportion of parents helping their child has not changed in 17 years (82.33% vs 86.52%, p > 0.1) but tooth brushing was initiated earlier in 2018 than in 2001 (p < 0.01). Prescription of systemic fluoride decreased (39.14% vs 3.62%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The identification of the food consumption habits and the knowledge of parents concerning oral health should enable strengthening of preventive measures and the initiation of an oral health education programme for children and their family.

Socioecological determinants of child oral health-A scoping review

OBJECTIVES

Child oral health is a result of interactions between multilevel influences within a complex system. Understanding those interactions informs conceptualizing a socioecological framework of important influences on oral health. This paper aimed to present a scoping review on the determinants of dental caries and their interactions in childhood and adolescence.

METHODS

The two review questions were as follows: Which factors are determinants of child dental caries? and, How do determinants interact within and across socioecological levels? The three main electronic databases for biomedical records, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched, followed by reference check. The search and screening/selection procedures followed an a priori strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria were specified in advance. The main components of the strategy were participants, concept and context. Following the final selection, eligible studies were assessed with quality appraisal tools for the risk of methodologic biases. Determinants reported in the included studies were then assigned to the micro-, meso-, exo- or macro-systems levels in a socioecological framework. Interactions between determinants were also identified and reported.

RESULTS

A total of 100 studies were included after removal of duplicates, screening on the title/abstracts and full-text assessment among 3313 records initially identified. A higher number of studies included were cross-sectional studies published in recent years. The majority of determinants found to influence child dental health were assigned to microsystem level within the framework. However, determinants were found at all levels and interactions were reported within and between socioecological levels. Determinants identified in the scoping review represent factors at different socioecological levels that influence child oral health.

CONCLUSION

Application of a socioecological model through a complex systems approach should lead to valid and robust progress towards practical solutions for better child oral health globally.

Structural determinants explain caries differences among preschool children in Chile's Metropolitan Region

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the association between Social Determinants of Health (structural and intermediate) and caries indicators in Chile's Metropolitan Region preschool children.

METHODS

A multilevel cross-sectional study of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and caries in children aged 1 to 6 years in Chile's Metropolitan Region was conducted in 2014-2015, with three levels: district, school and child. Caries were assessed by the dmft-index and the prevalence of untreated caries. The structural determinants analyzed were Community Human Development Index (CHDI), urban/rural location, school type, caregiver's education and family income. Poisson multilevel regression models were fit.

RESULTS

The sample size was 2,275 children from 40 schools in 13 districts. While the highest CHDI district had an untreated caries prevalence of 17.1% (12.3-22.7%), in the most disadvantaged district it was 53.9% (95% CI 46.0-61.6%). As family income increased, the probability of untreated caries prevalence decreased (PR = 0.9 95% CI 0.8-1.0). Rural districts had an average dmft-index of 7.3 (95% CI 7.2-7.4), while in urban districts, it was 4.4 (95% CI 4.3-4.5). Higher probabilities of untreated caries prevalence (PR = 3.0 95% CI 2.3-3.9) were observed in rural children. Greater probabilities of untreated caries prevalence (PR = 1.3 95% CI 1.1-1.6) and prevalence of caries experience (PR = 1.3 95% CI 1.1-1.5) were observed in children whose caregivers had a secondary educational level.

CONCLUSIONS

A strong association was observed between the social determinants of health, specifically the structural ones, and the caries indicators studied in children of the Metropolitan Region of Chile. There were notable differences in caries between districts according to social advantage. Rurality and caregiver's education were the most consistent predictors.

The Impact of Parental Education on Schoolchildren's Oral Health-A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Romania

The present study is part of the first national oral health survey for children in Romania. The aim of this study was to determine caries prevalence in correlation with the level of the parents' education, preventive behavior, and socioeconomic parameters in 11-14-year-old schoolchildren in Romania. A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was designed and conducted in 2019-2020. The sampled children were selected from 49 schools distributed in rural and urban areas of Romania, including its capital. Data were collected using the Oral Health Questionnaire for Children developed by the World Health Organization and described in the WHO Oral Health Surveys-Basic Methods, 5th edition, 2013, after positive informed consent. To express prevalence and severity of carious lesions, International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) criteria were recorded in school for 814 schoolchildren (388 boys and 426 girls) aged between 11 and 14 years old (mean age 12.29 ± 0.6). Elements regarding the specificity of the child (gender, age, and parental education) were tabulated against preventive behavior. The parents' education was correlated with three clinical indices in order to assess the existence or lack of certain significant differences among schoolchildren in Romania. In terms of correlation between the mother's education and preventive behavior, results showed a significant positive correlation in case of dental check-ups (r_s = 0.08 *, p < 0.05), brushing (r_s = 0.02 **, p < 0.01), and use of different types of dental hygiene aids (r_s = 0.06 **, p < 0.01) and a negative correlation with tooth pain or discomfort (r_s = -0.01 **, p < 0.01). A statistically significant positive relationship was highlighted between the mother's education and the presence of restorations (r_s = -0.09 **, p < 0.01). Regarding the father's education, there was a positive relationship with oral hygiene behavior (r_s = 0.18 **, p < 0.01) but a negative relationship with the D₃T index (r_s = -0.18 **, p < 0.01). In conclusion, there was a strong correlation between the parents' education, preventive behavior, and oral health status of Romanian schoolchildren.

Early predictors of childhood caries among 4-year-old children: a population-based study in north-eastern France

BACKGROUND

Untreated early childhood caries (ECC) can trigger a number of negative consequences, including pain, chewing difficulties, insufficient physical development and low academic performance. Therefore, ECC impacts the oral health-related to quality of life. That is why it is important to assess the ECC prevalence and to determine the associated risk factors.

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between early predictor factors and dental caries among 4-year-old French children, considering the socioeconomic factors, dietary and oral hygiene practices, the access and the follow-up by paediatric dentist.

DESIGN

The study was a cross-sectional observation. A random sample of 4-year-old children was selected among 596 Moselle's public nursery schools in north-eastern France. Data were gathered from clinical dental examinations and a structured questionnaire completed by parents.

RESULTS

In total, 425 subjects with completed questionnaires and clinical examinations were included. The prevalence of ECC and S-ECC (Severe-ECC), including only cavitated lesions, d3mft, were 15.8% and 5.9%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression modelling identified four main factors associated with a high risk of ECC that were sweet intake (adjusted odds ratio OR_adjusted = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.57-7.53), brushing habits (OR_adjusted = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.23-4.21), childcare arrangement (OR_adjusted = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.23-4.21) and maternal educational level (OR_adjusted = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.06-3.31). These four factors have a cumulative effect. Only 4% of children presented teeth restoration.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlighted the impact of the family environment on the oral health status of the preschool children. The identification of the risk factors should allow to strengthen preventive measures and initiate oral health education program for children and their family.

Neighbourhood characteristics and children's oral health: a multilevel population-based cohort study

Background

To understand determinants of oral health inequalities, multilevel modelling is a useful manner to study contextual factors in relation to individual oral health. Several studies outside Europe have been performed so far, however, contextual variables used are diverse and results conflicting. Therefore, this study investigated whether neighbourhood level differences in oral health exist, and whether any of the neighbourhood characteristics used were associated with oral health.

Methods

This study is embedded in The Generation R Study, a prospective cohort study conducted in The Netherlands. In total, 5 960 6-year-old children, representing 158 neighbourhoods in the area of Rotterdam, were included. Data on individual and neighbourhood characteristics were derived from questionnaires, and via open data resources. Caries was assessed via intraoral photographs, and defined as decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft).

Results

Differences between neighbourhoods explained 13.3% of the risk of getting severe caries, and 2% of the chance of visiting the dentist yearly. After adjustments for neighbourhood and individual characteristics, neighbourhood deprivation was significantly associated with severe dental caries (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.02–2.15), and suggestive of a low odds of visiting the dentist yearly (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.56–1.18).

Conclusions

Childhood caries and use of dental services differs between neighbourhoods and living in a deprived neighbourhood is associated with increased dental caries and decreased yearly use of dental services. This highlights the importance of neighbourhoods for understanding differences in children’s oral health, and for targeted policies and interventions to improve the oral health of children living in deprived neighbourhoods.

Association between early childhood caries and poverty in low and middle income countries

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between early childhood caries (ECC) in 3–5-year-old children, seven indicators of poverty and the indicator of monetary poverty in low- and middle-income countries (LICs, MICs).

Methods

This ecologic study utilized 2007 to 2017 country-level data for LICs and MICs. Explanatory variables were seven indicators of poverty namely food, water, sanitation, health, shelter, access to information, education; and monetary poverty. The outcome variable was the percentage of 3–5-year-old children with ECC. A series of univariate general linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between the percentage of 3–5 year-old children with ECC and each of the seven indicators of poverty, and monetary poverty. This was followed by multivariable regression models to determined the combined effect of the seven indicators of poverty, as well as the combined effect of the seven indicators of poverty and monetary poverty. Adjusted R² measured models’ ability to explain the variation among LICs and MICs in the percentage of 3–5-year-old children with ECC.

Results

Significantly more people had food, sanitation, shelter, access to information, education and monetary poverty in LICs than in MICs. There was no difference in the prevalence of ECC in 3–5-year-old children between LICs and MICs. The combination of the seven indicators of poverty explained 15% of the variation in the percentage of 3–5-year-old children with ECC compared to 1% explained by monetary poverty. When the seven indicators of poverty and the indicator for monetary poverty were combined, the amount of variation explained by them was 10%. Only two of the poverty indicators had a direct relationship with the percentage of children with ECC; there was a higher percentage of ECC in countries with higher percentage of population living in slums (B = 0.35) and in those countries with higher percentage of the population living below poverty lines (B = 0.19). The other indicators had an inverse relationship.

Conclusion

The use of multiple indicators to measures of poverty explained greater amount of variation in the percentage of 3–5-year-olds with ECC in LICs and MICs than using only the indicator for monetary poverty.

Motivational Interviewing in Preventing Early Childhood Caries in Primary Healthcare: A Community-based Randomized Cluster Trial

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of motivational interviewing in preventing early childhood caries compared with conventional oral health education.

STUDY DESIGN

Twelve health care units in southern Brazil were randomly allocated in 2 groups of 6 and professionals in 1 group were trained in motivational interviewing. The mothers/children and external examiners were blinded to the intervention. The data were collected by calibrated examiners using questionnaires and a clinical examination based on modified International Caries Detection and Assessment System criteria. Of the 674 children born in the catchment area in the year 2013, 469 received the intervention (224 in the conventional oral health education group, 245 in the motivational interviewing group), and 320 were examined by the end of the study (145 in the conventional oral health education group, 175 in the motivational interviewing group), with mean age of 30 months. The final follow-up was 68%, after 3 years.

RESULTS

Mean of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces at the end of the study period for the whole sample was 1.34 (95% CI 0.97-1.71). The caries rate per 100 surface-year in the conventional oral health education group was 1.74 (95% CI 1.14-2.34) and in the motivational interviewing group, it was 0.92 (95% CI 0.63-1.20). To correct for clustering effect and unbalanced factors, multilevel Poisson regression was fitted and the effect of motivational interviewing on the incidence rate ratio was 0.40 (95% CI 0.21-0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

An intervention based on the principles of motivational interviewing style was more effective in reducing the number of surfaces affected by early childhood caries compared with conventional oral health education intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.govNCT02578966, Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials RBR-8fvwxq.

Importance of contextual variables related to cavitated lesions in 5-year-old children

BACKGROUND

Dental caries have a high prevalence in children and need to evaluate their individual and contextual determinants.

AIM

To evaluate the importance of individual and contextual determinants on the occurrence of cavitated lesions in 5-year-old children.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 769 preschoolers in a city in northeastern Brazil. Parents/caregivers answered questionnaires addressing psychological aspects, socio-demographic characteristics and the child's oral health. The diagnosis of dental caries (cavitated lesion) was performed using the ICDAS-II. Variables related to the context were collected at the preschools and official municipal publications. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel Poisson regression models with robust variance correction were used.

RESULTS

The prevalence of cavitated lesions was 58.8%. In the analysis adjusted by individual determinants, low household income (PR = 1.61; 95%CI:1.27-2.05), lower parent's/caregiver's schooling (PR = 1.57; 95%CI:1.20-2.05), not visited to the dentist (PR = 0.77; 95%CI:0.62-0.94), brushing frequency under 2 times per day (PR = 2.17; 95%CI:1.35-3.51) and weak parent's/caregiver's SOC (PR = 1.30; 95%CI:1.09-1.56) were associated with cavitated lesions. However, after the incorporation of the contextual determinants, parent's/caregiver's schooling and SOC lost their association. Considering contextual factors, children attending public preschools (PR = 1.66; 95%CI:1.34-2.05) and/or smaller preschools (PR = 1.001; 95%CI:1.001-1.002) had a greater probability of exhibiting cavitated lesions.

CONCLUSION

Contextual variables were more important to the occurrence cavitated lesions than individual socioeconomic variables.

Contextual and Individual Determinants of Root Caries in Older People

The aim of this study was to identify the association of the presence of root caries in older people with contextual and individual determinants using a multilevel model. Data from the National Survey of Oral Health collected in Brazil were used. A sample of older Brazilians (aged 65-74 years) was included and selected through multistage probability cluster sampling, using probability proportional to size. Contextual variables of municipalities and individual variables of older people were included. Descriptive, bivariate, and multilevel analyses were conducted. Of the 3,926 older people included in the study, 934 (21.8%) had at least 1 tooth with root caries. There seemed to be no pattern of involvement between the anterior and posterior teeth in the dental arches. Multilevel analysis showed a higher presence of root caries among older people resident in municipalities that were noncapital cities (OR = 1.50), who were over 70 years of age (odds ratio, OR = 1.22), had nonwhite skin color (OR 1.35), had coronal caries (OR = 5.58), were dissatisfied with their teeth and mouth (OR = 1.47), and had self-perceived dental treatment needs (OR = 1.33). Contextual and individual determinants were associated with the occurrence of root caries in older people. Lesion presence demonstrated a profile of social inequality.

Social inequalities and dental caries in six-year-old children from the Netherlands

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our study was to investigate the association of different socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors with dental caries in six-year-old children. Furthermore, we applied a district based approach to explore the distribution of dental caries among districts of low and high socioeconomic position (SEP).

METHODS

In our cross-sectional study 5189 six-year-olds were included. This study was embedded in a prospective population-based birth cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the Generation R Study. Parental education level, parental employment status, net household income, single parenting, and teenage pregnancy were considered as indicators for SEP. Dental caries was scored on intraoral photographs by using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) index. We compared children without caries (dmft=0) to children with mild caries (dmft=1-3) or severe caries (dmft >3). Multinomial logistic regression analyses and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to study the association between SEP and caries, and between district and caries, respectively.

RESULTS

Only maternal education level remained significantly associated with mild caries after adjusting for all other SEP-indicators. Paternal educational level, parental employment status, and household income additionally served as independent indicators of SEP in children with severe caries. Furthermore, living in more disadvantaged districts was significantly associated with higher odds of dental caries.

CONCLUSION

Dental caries is more prevalent among six-year-old children with a low SEP, which is also visible at the district level. Maternal educational level is the most important indicator of SEP in the association with caries.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Our results should raise concerns about the existing social inequalities in dental caries and should encourage development of dental caries prevention strategies. New knowledge about the distribution of oral health inequalities between districts should be used to target the right audience for these strategies.