title: Oral health behaviors of children in low and high socioeconomic status families.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective longitudinal study compared the patterns of oral health behaviors between low and high socioeconomic status (SES) families participating in the Iowa Fluoride Study for a period of 9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on oral health behaviors, including consumption of juices/juice drinks, soda pop, and powder-based drinks, dental visits, and tooth-brushing frequency, was collected longitudinally at periodic intervals from 6 to 108 months of age. Dental exams were conducted at 5 and 9 years of age. Classification of low socioeconomic status (SES; n=70) and high-SES (n= 128) children was based on baseline family income and mothers' education levels, with middle SES excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low SES children consistently had significantly greater consumption of soda pop and powder-based beverages. There were, however, virtually no differences at any time point between groups in: (1) tooth-brushing frequency; (2) use of dentifrice; or (3) fluoride concentration in drinking water. Furthermore, the mean number of decayed and filled surfaces was significantly higher in the low-SES group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that beverage consumption patterns are a key difference between high- and low-socioeconomic status families and could in part explain differences in caries experience between subjects of different SES. Modification of the pattern of soda pop and powder-based beverage consumption in the low-SES groups might reduce their caries experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid. hamasha@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Abed Al-hadi
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hamasha
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Broffitt
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kanellis
mesh_terms: D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires