title: Significant caries and the interactive effects of maternal-related oral hygiene factors in urban preschool children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined significant caries (SiC) and the interactive effects of maternal-related oral hygiene factors in urban preschool children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was designed to collect data from a cluster of randomly selected samples in 2011. A total of 495 child-mother pairs from the San-Ming District of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, participated in the study. Children aged 4-6 years received dental examinations, and their mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire. The SiC Index indicated the highest caries values in participants. The association between 3 groups - dmft (decayed, missing, and filled teeth)-free, non-SiC, and SiC - and the mothers' and their children's factors were examined using polytomous logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the SiC children, caries experience was most frequent in the mandibular molars (64.5-84.9 percent), and almost 50 percent of these children had central incisor caries. The significant factors associated with the SiC children were lower maternal self-efficacy in oral hygiene [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.04], child's intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) more than once per day (aOR = 2.27), and irregular child dental checkups (aOR = 2.32). Significant interaction effects were detected among children who received irregular dental checkups and whose SSBs intake was more than once per day and whose mothers had lower self-efficacy in oral hygiene (P for interaction term = 0.034 and 0.004, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caries prevention programs should prioritize enhancing maternal self-efficacy in oral hygiene and emphasize childhood SSBs intake management and regular dental checkups to mothers to prevent severe caries in preschool-aged children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Municipal Tatung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University Chungho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Municipal Tatung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University Chungho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Hao
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ping-Ho
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: dental caries; dental checkups; maternal oral hygiene; preschool children; primary dentition; significant caries (SiC); sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)