title: Digit Sucking Habit and Association with Dental Caries and Oral Hygiene Status of Children Aged 6 Months to 12 Years Resident in Semi-Urban Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Non-nutritive sucking (NNS) is a common behavior in childhood. The association between digit sucking, dental caries and oral health has been studied with inconclusive results. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of, and the association between digit sucking, caries and oral hygiene status of children age six months to 12 years, resident in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State. Data were collected through a household survey using a multi-stage sampling procedure from children between six months and 12 years. Details of each child's socio-demographic characteristics, digit sucking habits, caries status and oral health status were collected. The association between digit sucking, caries status and oral hygiene status was determined using Chi square and Logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 992 study participants was 5.8 ± (3.2) years. The prevalence of digit sucking, caries and poor oral hygiene were 7.2%, 10.5% and 2.4% respectively. The mean dmft score was 0.22 ± (0.80), mean DMFT score was 0.04 ± (0.30) while mean Oral Hygiene Index score was 1.27 ± (0.73). Digit sucking increased the odds of having caries (OR: 1.28; CI: 0.58-2.81) but decreased the odds of having poor oral hygiene (OR: 0.58; CI: 0.34-1.01) insignificantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Digit sucking was not a significant predictor of caries and oral hygiene status, although the odds of having caries increased while the odds of having poor oral hygiene decreased with digit sucking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Kikelomo Adebanke
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kolawole
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Morenike Oluwatoyin
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Folayan
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Hakeem Olatunde
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Agbaje
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Titus Ayodeji
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Oyedele
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Obhioneh
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Oziegbe
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Nneka Kate
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Onyejaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Nneka Maureen
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Chukwumah
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olusegun Victor
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Oshomoji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005386:Fingersucking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors