Which Caregiver Yielded More Risk to Dental Caries in Primary Students: Parents or Relatives?

Abstract

Background : Dental caries is an important oral health problem in primary students who are lack of oral health care skill and need major role from the caregivers. It is supposed that oral health problem was found in primary students who live with their parents more than those stay with relatives.
Objective : To explore the difference of oral heath in primary students between 2 types of caregivers; parents and relatives, including risk factors to dental caries.
Material and method:. A cross-sectional study was surveyed in 200 Pratom 2 and Pratom 3 students in one public primary school in Mueng district, Lampang province during January-September 2008. The population was divided into 2 groups according to caregiver type, 160 in parental group and 40 in relatives group. Complete dental examination was obtained by the dentists. The data about caregiver’s perspectives and student’s health behavior were recorded by questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics. Fisher’s exact probability test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to identify the caries risk factors . Results : Most of caregivers in parental group had secondary educational level and earned more income than the relatives group who mostly graduated from primary school. Most of students in parental group consumed milk everyday and had tooth brushing twice daily while the relatives group consumed less milk but brushed more frequently. Both groups had the same desert consumption and preference. Moreover, oral health status was not different among them. Most of students had 6-10 milk teeth caries but no extracted permanent tooth. No relationship was found between dental caries and type of caregiver, occupation, education level, income, tooth brushing characteristics, snack or desert consumption.
Conclusion : There was no different oral health status between primary students who lived with their parents and relatives. Although the parental group had higher education level and income, the oral health behavior of their students had no significant difference. Dental caries prevention in this age group still require closed and regular advisory from their caregivers