Oral health status and behaviours of preschool children in Hong Kong

BMC Public Health

Edward CM Lo²  Ping-Lit Ho¹  Chun-Hung Chu² 

[1] University Health Service, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

关键词: China;    Hong Kong;    Preschool children;    Toothbrushing;    Oral health;    Oral hygiene;    Dental caries;   

Others  :  1163121
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-767

 received in 2012-03-12, accepted in 2012-08-02,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Dental caries is a major public health problem in many countries. Since the last territority-wide dental survey of Hong Kong preschool children was conducted in 2001, a survey to update the information is necessary. This study aimed to describe the dental caries experience of preschool children in Hong Kong and factors affecting their dental caries status.

Methods

A stratified random sample of children from seven kindergartens in Hong Kong was surveyed in 2009. Ethical approval from IRB and parental consent was obtained. Clinical examinations of the children were performed by two calibrated examiners using disposable dental mirrors, an intra-oral LED light and ball-ended periodontal probes. A questionnaire to investigate possible explanatory factors for caries status was completed by the children’s parents. Caries experience was recorded using the dmft index. Multifactor-ANOVA was used to study the relationship between dental caries experience, and the background and oral health-related behaviours of the children.

Results

Seven hundred children (53% boys), mean age 5.3 ± 0.7 years were examined. The mean dmft score of the surveyed children was 2.2 and 51% of them had no caries experience (dmft = 0). Most (>95%) of the decayed teeth were untreated. Statistically significant correlations were found between dental caries experience of the children and their oral health-related habits, family income, parental education level and parental dental knowledge.

Conclusions

Early childhood dental caries was prevalent among the preschool children in Hong Kong. Their caries experience was associated with their oral health-related behaviours, socio-economic background, and parental education and dental knowledge.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Chu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1 .

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