Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Objectives Limited information is known about preventive dental visits (PDVs) before seven years of age among children in China. This study aimed to examine the early PDV rate, identify the impact of PDV on dental caries and untreated dental caries, and explore the factors related to PDV am...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Oral Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02190-6 |
| _version_ | 1811338808320327680 |
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| author | Xing Qu Shannon H. Houser Meirong Tian Qiong Zhang Jay Pan Wei Zhang |
| author_facet | Xing Qu Shannon H. Houser Meirong Tian Qiong Zhang Jay Pan Wei Zhang |
| author_sort | Xing Qu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives Limited information is known about preventive dental visits (PDVs) before seven years of age among children in China. This study aimed to examine the early PDV rate, identify the impact of PDV on dental caries and untreated dental caries, and explore the factors related to PDV among Chinese sampled children under seven years old. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five selected primary health care facilities in Chengdu, China, from May to August 2021. Parent–child dyads during regular systematic medical management were recruited to participate. Children's dental caries were identified through dental examinations and documented as decayed, missing and filled teeth index (dmft) by trained primary care physicians. Dental-related information was collected through a questionnaire. Zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression was used to test the effect of early PDV on the dmft value, and logistic regression was used to analyse impact factors on the early PDV. Results A total of 2028 out of 2377 parent–child dyads were qualified for analysis. Half of the children (50.4%) were male, with a mean age of 4.8 years. Among all the children, 12.1% had their first dental visit for preventive purposes, 34.4% had their first dental visit for symptomatic purposes, and more than half had never visited a dentist. The results showed that a lower dmft value (adjusted OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.48–0.84), a higher rate of caries-free (aOR: 6.5, 95% CI: 3.93–10.58), and a lower rate of untreated dental caries (aOR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.21–0.76) were associated with early PDV utilization. Children who had a higher rate of PDV were positively associated with living in a family with better parental behaviours (aOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.71–3.08), better parental oral health perception (aOR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.06–1.32), fathers who had no untreated caries (aOR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47–0.97), families with higher socioeconomic status (aOR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.16), and dental health advice received from well-child care physicians (aOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.08–2.00). Conclusions Early PDV was associated with a lower rate of dental caries prevalence and untreated dental caries among sampled children younger than seven in Western China. Underutilization and social inequities existed in PDV utilization. Public health strategies should be developed to increase preventive dental visits and eliminate social disparities that prevent dental care utilization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:17:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f4721def953465ab6c835478e7f9864 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6831 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:17:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Oral Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f4721def953465ab6c835478e7f98642022-12-22T02:35:39ZengBMCBMC Oral Health1472-68312022-04-012211910.1186/s12903-022-02190-6Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional studyXing Qu0Shannon H. Houser1Meirong Tian2Qiong Zhang3Jay Pan4Wei Zhang5Institute of Hospital Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at BirminghamInstitute of Hospital Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Paediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research, Sichuan University, Sichuan UniversityHEOA Group, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityInstitute of Hospital Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityAbstract Objectives Limited information is known about preventive dental visits (PDVs) before seven years of age among children in China. This study aimed to examine the early PDV rate, identify the impact of PDV on dental caries and untreated dental caries, and explore the factors related to PDV among Chinese sampled children under seven years old. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five selected primary health care facilities in Chengdu, China, from May to August 2021. Parent–child dyads during regular systematic medical management were recruited to participate. Children's dental caries were identified through dental examinations and documented as decayed, missing and filled teeth index (dmft) by trained primary care physicians. Dental-related information was collected through a questionnaire. Zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression was used to test the effect of early PDV on the dmft value, and logistic regression was used to analyse impact factors on the early PDV. Results A total of 2028 out of 2377 parent–child dyads were qualified for analysis. Half of the children (50.4%) were male, with a mean age of 4.8 years. Among all the children, 12.1% had their first dental visit for preventive purposes, 34.4% had their first dental visit for symptomatic purposes, and more than half had never visited a dentist. The results showed that a lower dmft value (adjusted OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.48–0.84), a higher rate of caries-free (aOR: 6.5, 95% CI: 3.93–10.58), and a lower rate of untreated dental caries (aOR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.21–0.76) were associated with early PDV utilization. Children who had a higher rate of PDV were positively associated with living in a family with better parental behaviours (aOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.71–3.08), better parental oral health perception (aOR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.06–1.32), fathers who had no untreated caries (aOR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47–0.97), families with higher socioeconomic status (aOR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.16), and dental health advice received from well-child care physicians (aOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.08–2.00). Conclusions Early PDV was associated with a lower rate of dental caries prevalence and untreated dental caries among sampled children younger than seven in Western China. Underutilization and social inequities existed in PDV utilization. Public health strategies should be developed to increase preventive dental visits and eliminate social disparities that prevent dental care utilization.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02190-6Dental CariesOffice VisitsDental Care for ChildrenDental Health ServicesPrimary Prevention |
| spellingShingle | Xing Qu Shannon H. Houser Meirong Tian Qiong Zhang Jay Pan Wei Zhang Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study BMC Oral Health Dental Caries Office Visits Dental Care for Children Dental Health Services Primary Prevention |
| title | Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | effects of early preventive dental visits and its associations with dental caries experience a cross sectional study |
| topic | Dental Caries Office Visits Dental Care for Children Dental Health Services Primary Prevention |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02190-6 |
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