Risk indicators of dental caries and gingivitis among 10−11-year-old students in Yangon, Myanmar

Abstract

Objectives: To obtain basic data on dental caries and gingival status of students in Myanmar, and to identify related risk indicators, including socioeconomic conditions and oral health behaviours and habits. Study design: This cross-sectional study enrolled 537 fifth-grade students in Myanmar. Oral health behaviours and dietary patterns of students were assessed using questionnaires. Oral examinations were conducted to identify dental caries and gingivitis, and the oral samples were obtained to determine the bacteria levels in dental plaque. Results: The dental caries prevalence was 68.5%, with a mean number of decayed teeth of 2.07 AE 2.15. The prevalence of gingivitis was 98.9%, and the mean number of inflamed gingival areas in the anterior region was 16.2 AE 5.4. No significant differences were found between the sexes in terms of dental caries and gingivitis. Oral hygiene was significantly poorer, and levels of bacteria in dental plaque were significantly higher in boys than in girls. Multiple linear regression tests were used to analyse the association between risk indicators and dental caries and gingivitis. Tooth brushing frequency, a daily habit of mouth rinsing, dental visit experience, consumption of sugary snacks and oral hygiene status were significantly associated with dental caries. Mother's occupation, tooth brushing frequency, consumption of sweet drinks, oral hygiene status and bacterial levels in dental plaque were significant predictors of gingivitis. Conclusions: Myanmar students had a high prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis. Socioeconomic condition, oral hygiene status and oral health behaviours were all determined to be significant risk indicators.

Oral health and caries/gingivitis-associated factors of adolescents aged 12–15 in Shandong province, China: a cross-sectional Oral Health Survey

“…At the early stage of permanent dentition, if the associated factors are not evaluated, and the intervention measures are not implemented in time to correct poor habits [ 9 , 10 ], these irreversible oral problems will affect the life of the teeth and even the person's general quality of life [ 11 – 13 ]. Hence, some studies have started to pay more attention on the association of age, sex, region, socioeconomic conditions, personal and professional dental care, oral hygiene behaviours, and dental anxiety with dental caries, gingivitis and oral health-related quality of life in adolescents [ 11 , 12 , 14 , 15 ]. These studies provided evidence and reference for designing oral health prevention strategies [ 16 ].…”

A predictive nomogram: a cross-sectional study on a simple-to-use model for screening 12-year-old children for severe caries in middle schools

“…An interesting finding was that lifestyle and behavioural factors such as a sugary diet, frequency of tooth brushing, and fluoride toothpaste and dental floss use, which were widely mentioned in dental epidemiological research [ 42 – 44 ], were not included. This difference may be explained differences between the outcome variable in our study (i.e., whether a child had severe caries (DMFT ≥ 3)) and the outcome variables used in previous research [ 45 ].…”

Free Sugar Intake and Periodontal Diseases: A Systematic Review

“…The descriptive characteristics of the included 13 studies are presented in Table 1 . The included studies were conducted in various countries: five in Asia [ 16 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ], three in America [ 17 , 30 , 31 ], two in the Middle East [ 32 , 33 ], two in Europe [ 34 , 35 ], and one in Africa [ 36 ]. Most studies had a cross-sectional design [ 16 , 17 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ], and only one study had a cohort design [ 29 ].…”