Oral health behaviours of children by gender are given in Table 1. Of all the children, 41.9% brushed their teeth once a day, 31.0% brushed twice a day, 25.7% brushed irregularly. But there was no statistically significant difference between tooth brushing frequency groups (p=0.177, p>0.05). The vast majority of children (86.1%) reported that they visit the dentist when they have dental complaints. There was statistically significant difference between dentist visiting frequency groups (p<0.05).
Table 1
Oral Health Behaviours of Children by Gender
Oral Health Behaviours
|
Male (n=105)
|
Female (n=105)
|
Total (n=210)
|
|
|
n
|
%
|
n
|
%
|
n
|
%
|
p
|
Tooth Brushing Frequency
|
Once a day
|
50
|
47,6
|
42
|
40,0
|
88
|
43,8
|
0,177a
|
Twice a day
|
25
|
23,8
|
37
|
35,2
|
65
|
29,5
|
Irregular
|
30
|
28,6
|
26
|
24,8
|
54
|
26,7
|
Using Fluoride Toothpaste
|
Using
|
74
|
70,5
|
78
|
74,3
|
152
|
72,4
|
0,608a
|
Not using
|
20
|
19,0
|
20
|
19,0
|
40
|
19,0
|
Unknowing
|
11
|
10,5
|
7
|
6,7
|
18
|
8,6
|
Frequency of Dentist Visiting
|
Once in a year
|
7
|
6,7
|
1
|
1,0
|
8
|
3,9
|
0,005b*
|
Twice in a year
|
5
|
4,7
|
16
|
15,2
|
21
|
10,0
|
When they have a complaint
|
93
|
88,6
|
88
|
83,8
|
181
|
86,1
|
aPearson Chi-square Test; bFisher’s Exact Test; *p<0,05
Averages of children's dental health indicators by gender are given in Table 2. For all the children, the mean DMFT and DMFS values were 2.02 ± 1.89 and 3.57 ± 3.12, respectively. There are no statistically significant differences between genders for the mixed dentition, permanent dentition and total (p>0.05).
Table 2
Dental health indicators of children by gender and type of dentition
|
Male
|
Female
|
t
|
p
|
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Mixed Dentition (n=179)
|
|
|
|
|
DMFT
|
1.68±1.72
|
1.75±1.72
|
0.283
|
0.778
|
DMFS
|
2.60±3.32
|
2.68±3.34
|
0.162
|
0.871
|
dmft
|
6.17±3.22
|
6.41±3.52
|
0.623
|
0.534
|
dmfs
|
17.04±11.53
|
17.47±13.10
|
0.233
|
0.816
|
Permanent Dentition (n=31)
|
|
|
|
|
DMFT
|
3.95±2.03
|
3.45±1.96
|
0.655
|
0.517
|
DMFS
|
6.05±4.17
|
4.90±2.87
|
0.805
|
0.428
|
Total (n=210)
|
|
|
|
|
DMFT
|
2.08±1.98
|
1.90±1.80
|
0.688
|
0.492
|
DMFS
|
3.32±3.79
|
2.93±3.35
|
0.700
|
0.485
|
SD: Standard deviation; t: Independent Samples T Test
The average of dental health indicators by the daily consumption of milk and dairy products is given in Table 3. DMFT values were found to be lower in children who consumed milk, buttermilk and white cheese daily, but this differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05).
Table 3
Dental Health Indicators of Children According to the Daily Consumption of Dairy Products
Daily consumption
|
DMFT
|
Number of decayed teeth
|
Daily consumption
|
dmft
|
Number of decayed teeth
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Milk
|
|
|
Milk
|
|
|
Consuming (n:90)
|
1.81±1.71
|
0.94±1.20
|
Consuming (n:80)
|
6.15±3.35
|
2.36±2.25
|
Not consuming (n:120)
|
2.15±2.01
|
1.07±1.56
|
Not consuming (n:99)
|
6.48±3.40
|
2.85±2.32
|
p
|
0.268
|
0.510
|
p
|
0.562
|
0.159
|
Yogurt
|
|
|
Yogurt
|
|
|
Consuming (n:61)
|
2.19±1.96
|
0.96±1.35
|
Consuming (n:52)
|
6.27±3.74
|
2.05±1.94
|
Not consuming (n:149)
|
1.95±1.87
|
1.04±1.44
|
Not consuming (n:127)
|
6.35±3.22
|
2.79±2.39
|
p
|
0.280
|
0.735
|
p
|
0.892
|
0.050
|
Buttermilk
|
|
|
Buttermilk
|
|
|
Consuming (n:32)
|
1.78±1.64
|
0.78±1.21
|
Consuming (n:29)
|
5.75±3.39
|
2.56±1.87
|
Not consuming (n:178)
|
2.06±1.94
|
1.06±1.45
|
Not consuming (n:150)
|
6.38±3.52
|
2.68±2.37
|
p
|
0.435
|
0.304
|
p
|
0.365
|
0.781
|
White cheese
|
|
|
White cheese
|
|
|
Consuming (n:98)
|
1.90±1.79
|
0.81±1.31
|
Consuming (n:85)
|
6.25±3.41
|
2.55±2.49
|
Not consuming (n:112)
|
2.12±1.99
|
1.19±1.48
|
Not consuming (n:94)
|
6.31±3.42
|
2.60±2.10
|
p
|
0.408
|
0.049*
|
p
|
0.903
|
0.877
|
Independent Samples T Test; *p<0,05; SD: Standard deviation
The average of dental health indicators by daily consumption of sugar and sugary foods are given in Table 4. The DMFT index (3.08 ± 2.10) was found to be higher in children who consumed the biscuit daily compared to children who did not (1.95 ± 1.87) (p<0.05). The DMFT values of children who consumed spreadable chocolate daily and not were found to be 3.09 ± 1.84 and 1.90 ± 1.87, respectively. It was found that this difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).
Table 4
Dental Health Indicators of Children According to the Daily Consumption of Sugar and Sugar-Added Foods
Daily consumption
|
DMFT
|
Number of decayed teeth
|
Daily consumption
|
dmft
|
Number of decayed teeth
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Mean±SD
|
Added sugar
|
Added sugar
|
Consuming (n:62)
|
2.24±1.91
|
1.20±1.52
|
Consuming (n:52)
|
6.30±3.43
|
2.60±2.33
|
Not consuming (n:148)
|
1.93±1.89
|
0.93±1.36
|
Not consuming (n:127)
|
6.23±3.37
|
2.51±2.20
|
p
|
0.283
|
0.208
|
p
|
0.892
|
0.818
|
Sweets
|
Sweets
|
Consuming (n:5)
|
3.60±2.30
|
2.40±1.14
|
Consuming (n:5)
|
5.20±4.43
|
1.80±0.83
|
Not consuming (n:205)
|
1.98±1.88
|
0.98±1.40
|
Not consuming (n:174)
|
6.31±3.38
|
2.60±2.31
|
p
|
0.061
|
0.027*
|
p
|
0.472
|
0.441
|
Biscuits
|
Biscuits
|
Consuming (n:12)
|
3.08±2.10
|
1.83±2.08
|
Consuming (n:9)
|
8.44±2.92
|
3.22±2.63
|
Not consuming (n:198)
|
1.95±1.87
|
0.96±1.35
|
Not consuming (n:170)
|
6.17±3.40
|
2.54±2.27
|
p
|
0.004*
|
0.052
|
p
|
0.051
|
0.391
|
Spreadable chocolate
|
Spreadable chocolate
|
Consuming (n:21)
|
3.09±1.84
|
1.53±1.52
|
Consuming (n:19)
|
5.26±2.92
|
1.94±1.50
|
Not consuming (n:189)
|
1.90±1.87
|
0.96±1.39
|
Not consuming (n:160)
|
6.40±3.45
|
2.65±2.36
|
p
|
0.006*
|
0.085
|
p
|
0.168
|
0.203
|
Independent Samples T Test; *p<0,05; SD: Standard deviation
The correlations between body composition measurements and dental health indicators are shown in Table 5. Height, body weight and waist circumference are found to be positively correlated with DMFT and negatively correlated with dmft. Waist / hip ratio was found to be positively correlated with only DMFS (p<0.05). BMI was found to be positively correlated with DMFT; negatively correlated with dmft (p<0.05).
Table 5
Correlations Between Body Composition Measurements and Dental Health Indicators
|
DMFT
|
DMFS
|
dmft
|
dmfs
|
|
r
|
p
|
r
|
p
|
r
|
p
|
r
|
p
|
Height (cm)
|
0.466
|
0.000**
|
0.382
|
0.000**
|
-0.402
|
0.000**
|
-0.187
|
0.012*
|
Body weight (kg)
|
0.409
|
0.000**
|
0.315
|
0.000**
|
0.345
|
0.000**
|
-0.149
|
0.043*
|
Waist circumference (cm)
|
0.242
|
0.001**
|
0.189
|
0.009**
|
-0.212
|
0.013*
|
-0.117
|
0.175
|
Waist to hip ratio
|
0.118
|
0.259
|
0.185
|
0.038*
|
-0.031
|
0.724
|
-0.017
|
0.821
|
Body fat (%)
|
0.089
|
0.119
|
0.034
|
0.327
|
-0.085
|
0.320
|
-0.104
|
0.153
|
BMI (kg/m2)
|
0.223
|
0.002**
|
0.156
|
0.041*
|
-0.182
|
0.049*
|
-0.125
|
0.317
|
*p<0.05, **p<0.01