Factors associated with the development of dental caries among schoolchildren in northwest Mexico

Background: Dental caries represent a multifactorial disease that has been classified as a public health problem of global proportions. Its prevalence and incidence in populations are determined by numerous risk factors. This study sought to determine the factors associated with the development of caries among schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years of age. Methods: A sample of 3275 schoolchildren aged 6–12 years was analyzed, using the Decayed, Missing and Filled Primary Teeth (dmft) and the Decayed, Missing and Filled Permanent Teeth (DMFT) Indices to explore the caries experiences of participants in their primary and permanent dentitions. Statistical analyses were performed based on summary and dispersion measures for the quantitative, as well as percentages and frequency rates for the categorical variables. The relationships between variables were estimated using the chi-square test and a logistic regression model. Results: The average age of the schoolchildren was 8.5 ± 1.74 years, and the average dmft and DMFT indices equaled 1.41 ± 2.10 and 0.34 ± 1.04, respectively. The Treatment Need Index (TNI) was 81.91%, the Significant Caries Index (SiC) 3.81 and the Care Index 20.29%. Two factors showed a positive association with the presence of caries in the primary dentition: initiating toothbrushing after two years of age (odds ratio—OR = 1.27) and consuming sugar (OR = 1.31). For permanent dentition, the following factors were positively associated: being 10–12 years old (OR = 1.98) and having developed caries during primary dentition (OR = 2.53). Finally, an inverse association was identified between the presence of caries in primary and permanent dentitions and owning household assets, as classified within the second and third socioeconomic terciles (OR = 0.66, 0.63). Conclusions: The presence of caries in primary teeth is associated with their presence in permanent teeth, it is crucial that dental professionals promote preventative education from an early age.

Dental caries; Risk factors; Schoolchildren; Mexico

[1] Escoffie-Ramirez M, Avila-Burgos L, Baena-Santillan ES, Aguilar-Ayala F, Lara-Carrillo E, Minaya-Sanchez M, et al. Factors associated with dental pain in Mexican schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years. BioMed Research International. 2017; 2017: 7431301.

[2] Global oral health status report: towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030 [Internet]. ReliefWeb. Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/global-oral-health-status-report-towards-universal-health-coverage-oral-health-2030?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwuMC2BhA7EiwAmJKRrOUi3xa5PToDQ_QsyaiWSv5suy-bZaGlW8fa920tCD1eKtAnD5w9iRoCoRsQAvD_BwE. (Accessed: 30 August 2024].

[3] Ortiz AS, Tomazoni F, Knorst JK, Ardenghi TM. Influence of socioeconomic inequalities on levels of dental caries in adolescents: a cohort study. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. 2020; 30: 42–49.

[4] Youssefi MA, Afroughi S. Prevalence and associated factors of dental caries in primary schoolchildren: an Iranian setting. Int J Dent. 2020; 2020: 8731486.

[5] Medina-Solís CE, Ávila-Burgos L, Borges-Yañez SA, Irigoyen-Camacho ME, Sánchez-Pérez L, Zepeda-Zepeda MA, et al. Ecological study on needs and cost of treatment for dental caries in schoolchildren aged 6, 12, and 15 years data from a national survey in Mexico. 2020; 99: e19092.

[6] Lucas-Rincón SE, Lara-Carrillo E, Robles-Bermeo NL, Rueda-Ibarra V, Alonso-Sánchez CC, Vázquez-Rodríguez SB, et al. Experience, prevalence, need for treatment and cost of care for caries: a multicenter study in a developing country. Community Dent Health. 2022; 39: 86–91.

[7]. Secretary of Health. Information SIVEPAB 2021 Mexico [Internet]. gob.mx. [cited 2024 Aug 30]. Available from: https://www.gob.mx/salud/documentos/informes-sivepab-2021.

[8] Kolawole KA, Folayan MO. Association between malocclusion, caries and oral hygiene in children 6 to 12 years old resident in suburban Nigeria. BMC Oral Health. 2019; 19: 262.

[9] Alshammary FL, Mobarki AA, Alrashidi NF, Madfa AA. Association between different behavioral factors and dental caries among children attending the dental clinics in a sample from Saudi Arabia. BMC Oral Health. 2023; 23: 198.

[10] Prada I. Prevalence of dental caries among 6–12 year old schoolchildren in social marginated zones of Valencia, Spain. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry. 2020; 12: e399–e409.

[11] Casanova-Rosado AJ, Medina-Solís CE, Casanova-Rosado JF, Vallejos-Sánchez AA, Maupomé G, Ávila-Burgos L. Dental caries and associated factors in Mexican schoolchildren aged 6–13 years. Acta Odontologica Scandinavica. 2005; 63: 245–251.

[12] Lara-Capi C, Cagetti MG, Cocco F, Lingström P, García-Godoy F, Campus G. Effect of body weight and behavioural factors on caries severity in Mexican rural and urban adolescents. International Dental Journal. 2018; 68: 190–196.

[13] Contreras-Bulnes R, Reyes-Silveyra LJ, Fuentes-Alvarez T, Escamilla-Rodriguez F, Rodríguez-Vilchis LE. Dental caries and treatment needs in street children in Toluca, Mexico. Int Dent J. 2008; 58: 134–138.

[14] Espinoza-Espinoza G, Pineda P, Atala-Acevedo C, Muñoz-Millán P, Muñoz S, Weits A, et al. Prevalence and severity of dental caries in beneficiary children in the oral health program associated with schools in Chile. International Journal of Odontostomatology. 2021; 15: 166–174.

[15] Aqeeli A, Alsharif AT, Kruger E, Tennant M, Bakeer H. Caries prevalence and severity in association with sociodemographic characteristics of 9-to-12-year-old school children in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Dental Journal. 2021; 33: 897–903.

[16] Villalobos-Rodelo JJ, Mendoza-Rodríguez M, Islas-Zarazúa R, Márquez-Rodríguez S, Mora-Acosta M, Pontigo-Loyola AP, et al. Experience and prevalence of dental caries in 6 to 12-year-old school children in an agricultural community: a cross-sectional study. Children. 2021; 8: 99.

[17] López-Gómez SA, Villalobos-Rodelo JJ, Ávila-Burgos L, Casanova-Rosado JF, Vallejos-Sánchez AA, Lucas-Rincón SE, et al. Relationship between premature loss of primary teeth with oral hygiene, consumption of soft drinks, dental care, and previous caries experience. 2016; 6: 21147.

[18] Sfeatcu R, Cărămidă M, Sava-Rosianu R, Matichescu ML, Galuscan A, Dumitrache MA. Carious status and socio-behavioral risk factors among 12 year-old children in South-Central region in Romania. BMC Oral Health. 2023; 23: 644.

[19] Margină D, Ungurianu A. Dietary sugar intake: public health perspective. Encyclopedia of Toxicology (pp. 711–718). 4th edn. Elsevier. Bucharest, Romania. 2023.

[20] Feldens CA, Rodrigues PH, de Anastácio G, Vítolo MR, Chaffee BW. Feeding frequency in infancy and dental caries in childhood: a prospective cohort study. Int Dent J. 2018; 68: 113–121.

[21] Al-Zahrani A, Al-Qahtani M, Al-Barti M, Bakhurji EA. Dietary determinants of dental caries prevalence and experience in Saudi schoolchildren: frequency versus quantity. ScientificWorldJournal. 2022; 2022: 5447723.

[22] Van Meijeren-Van Lunteren AW, Voortman T, Wolvius EB, Kragt L. Adherence to dietary guidelines and dental caries among children: a longitudinal cohort study. Eur J Public Health. 2023; 33: 653–658.

[23] Pitchika V, Standl M, Harris C, Thiering E, Hickel R, Heinrich J, et al. Association of sugar-sweetened drinks with caries in 10- and 15-year-olds. BMC Oral Health. 2020; 20: 81.

[24] Sudha P, Bhasin S, Anegundi RT. Prevalence of dental caries among 5–13-year-old children of Mangalore city. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2005; 23: 74–79.

[25] García-Jau RA, Gastelum-García VG, Villalobos-Rodelo JJ, Moreno-Terrazas E, Zárate-Depraect NE, Guzman-Celaya GE. Prevalence and experience of caries in schoolchildren from a rural community in Sinaloa. Conference Proceedings, Research Conference in Dentistry. 2022; 2: 27–30.

[26] Bratthall Malmii D. Introducing the significant caries lndex together with a proposal for a new global oral health goal for 12-year-olds. Int Dent J. 2000; 50: 378–384.

[27] Walsh J. International patterns of oral health care—the example of New Zealand. N Z Dent J. 1970; 66: 143–152.

[28] Jong A. Dental public health community dentistry. 1981; St. Louis, MO: Mosby Co, 74–88. [Google Scholar]

[29] World Health Organization. Encuestas de salud bucodental. Métodos básicos. 4th edn. World Health Organization: Ginebra. 1997.

[30] Villalobos Rodelo JJ, Medina Solís CE, Molina Frechero N, Vallejos Sánchez AA, Pontigo Loyola AP, Espinoza Beltrán JL. Dental caries in schoolchildren aged 6–12 years in Navolato, Sinaloa, México: experience, prevalence, severity and treatment needs. Biomedica. 2006; 26: 224–233. (In Spanish).

[31] Lin PY, Huang YH, Chen HH, Wang J, Chen SC, Chang HJ, et al. Decline in dental caries experience among schoolchildren in Taiwan, 2012–2020. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2023; 51: 519–526.

[32] Al-Ansari A. Breastfeeding beyond 24 months of age could be a risk for higher childhood caries experience. Evidence-Based Dentistry. 2023; 24: 116–117.

[33] Fernández-Pesantez HE, Romo-Cardoso AB, Cabrera-Cabrera GE. Correlation between the number of brushes per day and the dmft index in 12-year-old school children from the El Vecino parish in Cuenca, Ecuador 2016. Rev Cient Odontol. 2021; 9: e042. (In Spanish)

[34] Díaz-Cárdenas S, González-Martínez F. The prevalence of dental caries related to family factors in schoolchildren from the city of Cartagena in Colombia. Revista de Salud Pública. 2010; 12: 843–851. (In Spanish)

[35] Minervini G, Franco R, Marrapodi MM, Di Blasio M, Ronsivalle V, Cicciù M. Children oral health and parents education status: a cross sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2023; 23: 787.

[36] Do LG, Spencer AJ, Slade GD, Ha DH, Roberts-Thomson KF, Liu P. Trend of income-related inequality of child oral health in Australia. J Dent Res. 2010; 89: 959–964.