Influence of life-style factors, including second-hand smoke, on dental caries among 3-year-old children in Wuxi, China

Abstract

Aim: To examine the association of life-style factors, including second-hand smoke, with dental caries among 3-year-old children in Wuxi, China.

Methods: A multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling method was used, and 283 children were recruited. The prevalence of dental caries was 29.3% (83/283).

Results: Univariate analysis indicated that the possible related factors of dental caries included sleep duration, interest in snacks, candy, exposure to second-hand smoke and weight of birth (all P < 0.05). Meanwhile, multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that children who had used fluoride were less susceptible to dental caries than those who had not used fluoride before (P < 0.05). Moreover, the risk of dental caries in children who were very interested in snacks was greater than those with little interest in snacks (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Life-style behaviours are crucial factors and should attract enough attention. There might be a potential negative effect of second-hand smoke on the deciduous caries, but it still requires further studies. A co-ordinated effort by health-care providers, policymakers and health institutions has successfully improved children's oral health and the awareness of hygiene knowledge among citizens in Wuxi city.

Keywords: children; dental caries; life-style factor; second-hand smoke.