Dietary factors and dental caries among 15-year-old adolescence in Arkhangelsk region
Aim - assess the prevalence of dietary factors influencing oral health by the WHO and to estimate associations between these factors and caries prevalence and experience among 15-year-old adolescents in the Arkhangelsk region. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed in 7 urban and 5 rural settings selected at random. Altogether, 1172 15-year-old adolescents were examined using standard WHO methodology and questionnaire. Prevalence of caries was presented with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared tests. Continues variables were compared with one-way ANOVA. Independent associations between selected factors and caries prevalence were studied using multiple logistic regression. Associations between caries experience and dietary factors were assessed by multiple linear regression. Coefficients and odds ratios (OR) were presented with 95% CI. Results. A total of 1139 adolescents of 1172 participants filled out a questionnaire on dietary factors (response rate 96%). Parental education was positively associated with consumption of fruit (p=0,042 for paternal and p<0,001 for maternal education) and inversely associated with consumption of soft drinks (p=0,006, p=0,021) by the adolescents. Odds of caries were more than twice as high among adolescents who reported consumption of soft drinks once a week or more often (OR=2,20) and more than three times as high among those who drank soft drinks daily (OR=3,28) compared to the reference group. Adolescents who reported drinking soft drinks at least once a week had DMFT index on average 0,66 (95% CI 0,31-1,19) greater than in the reference group. Conclusions. Adolescents in Arkhangelsk region rarely consume fresh fruit while many consume sweets three times a day. Gender, place of residence and parental education are significantly associated with adolescents' diet. Consumption of soft drinks had the greatest impact on caries prevalence and experience.