[Prevalence of healthy oral habits in the child population resident in Spain].
BACKGROUND
Oral health is integral to children's health. To achieve this, it is essential establishing healthy habits early on them, such as regular check-ups, proper and frequent tooth brushing and a non-cariogenic diet. Prevalence of these habits are investigated in Spanish children by age group (pre-school: 2-5 years and school: 6-15 years) and by maternal educational level.


METHODS
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, based on the last Spanish National Health Survey (2006). A representative sample of 8042 subjects (2-15 years) was obtained.


RESULTS
A total of 47.35% reported having gone to dental services during the last year and 69.09% having gone sometime during their lives. Only 22.68% of the sample reported daily tooth brushing three times or more and 89.03% reported eating a cariogenic risk diet. In the school group (6-15 years) 29.87% of children whose mothers were university level brushed their teeth three times or more compared to 25.83% and 20.89% of those whose mothers had secondary and even primary studies respectively. For the intake of cariogenic risk diet, the percentages were 87.05%, 91.11% and 90.44%. In both age groups, and except for the consumption of sweets, there was a statistically significant association between maternal educational level and healthy habits.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of these healthy habits is far lower than the recommendations: a lower use of services and a lower frequency of daily tooth brushing and higher intake of a cariogenic risk diet. The outcomes are more favourable in both age groups when the mother are university level, wich may serve as a guide to the promotion of oral health.
Unidad Docente de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública de la Región de Murcia, España. bl.laura1@gmail.com
L Barriuso
LB
Lapresa
B Sanz
BS
Barbero
L Hernando
LH
Arizaleta
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain