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The association of socioeconomic status and dental caries experience in children in Dili, Timor-Leste

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 22:22 authored by Babo Soares, LF, Allen, P, Silvana BettiolSilvana Bettiol, Crocombe, L
Timor-Leste is one of the poorest countries in the world. The aim of this article was to investigate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and dental caries experience in children living in Dili. Four out of 6 Dili subdistricts and 40 schools were randomly selected. Equal numbers of school children from 4 age groups (6-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-17 years) were invited to participate. Data were gathered via a questionnaire and an oral examination by dental practitioners. In bivariate analysis, decayed, missing, and filled teeth index for deciduous + permanent teeth (dmft) was higher in children from mid- to high-SES than low-SES schools (1.1, 2.2, P = 0.001). With age, having had a toothache and dental visiting in the past 12 months in the multivariable model, higher dmft was found in children from mid- to high- to low-SES schools (P < 0.001). The primary dental caries experience was greater among children from mid- to high- than low-SES schools, which may be explained by high sugar consumption.

History

Publication title

Asia-Pacific journal of public health

Volume

28

Issue

7

Pagination

620-628

ISSN

1010-5395

Department/School

Tasmanian School of Medicine

Publisher

Science Press

Place of publication

China

Rights statement

copyright 2016 APJPH

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Dental health

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