FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DENTAL CARIES AMONG SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS IN NONG BUA DAENG, CHAIYAPHUM : MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Children's tooth decay is detrimental to their health. There has not been a multilevel study of the association between child and school factors and the dental caries in children. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between student and school factors and the dental caries among sixth-grade students in Nong Bua Daeng, Chaiyaphum. This was analytical cross-sectional study. A sample of 574 sixth-grade students from 36 schools in Nong Bua Daeng were handed the questionnaire to complete independently and administrators of schools responded to school factors. Dental caries data was extracted from children's oral health examination records. Using multilevel logistic regression, the data were examined for associations in order to calculate the 95% confidence interval for the odds ratio.

             The results indicated that all factors had a non-statistically significant association with the dental caries among students. Student factors: the dental caries among female was 1.31 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.95) times that of male. Tooth decay was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.45, 1.41) times when teeth were brushed 2-3 times per day versus not brushing daily. With a dietary intake score between 18 and 30, tooth decay was 1.06 (95% CI: 0.59 to 1.91) times 6-11. School factors: the environment conducive to students brushing their teeth received a score of 3 points associated with tooth decay in student was 1.91 (95% CI: 0.63, 5.74) times as likely to receive 0 points. Four times the oral health examination was administered to the students, tooth decay was 1.04 (95% CI: 0.77, 1.41) times compared to one time. When five categories of foods that contribute to tooth decay were sold, the tooth decay among students was 1.09 (95% CI: 0.37, 3.24) times compared to when none were sold.