Factors affecting caries experience in French adolescents.
Three hundred French 14-15-yr-old adolescents were randomly selected. They were examined clinically and caries experience was determined by using the DMFS index. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate children's habits using a self-administered questionnaire, to clarify the actual influence of well-known factors such as fluoride exposure, diet, oral hygiene and socioeconomic factors on caries experience and to stress those factors of primary importance. A multiple regression analysis revealed the variables which significantly contributed to explain DMFS scores in a final model: Age, sex, frequency of sweet consumption, use of standard or high fluoride toothpastes, bleeding during toothbrushing, living in St Yorre (F- = 0.45 mg/l). At a time when caries experience is decreasing, it seems that fluoride supply, snacking and oral hygiene are still independent and significant determinants of caries experience in French adolescents.
Tubert-Jeannin
S
S
Medical information service, University of Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Lardon
J P
JP
Pham
E
E
Martin
J L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005457:Fluoridation; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors