Table 4 Oral hygiene, dietary and dental attendance practices according to caries presence/absence and overall
Caries present | Caries absent | |
|---|---|---|
Oral hygiene practices | ||
Mean debris score | 1.10 (SD = 0.36) | 0.89 (SD = 039) |
Mean toothbrushing frequency | 1.6 (SD = 0.6) | 1.5 (SD = 0.6) |
Brushes at least twice daily (%) | 37% | 32% |
Brushes supervised (%) | 19% | 26% |
Parent unsure of recommended fluoride toothpaste concentration (%) | 66% | 63% |
Started brushing before the age of two (%) | 15% | 19% |
Dietary practices | ||
Mean number of in-between meals sugary snacks | 1.5 (SD = 1.1) | 1.4 (SD = 0.9) |
Mean fruit and vegetables score (Recommended is ≥ 14) | 13.5 (SD = 5.5) | 13.2 (SD = 5.7) |
Mean sweetened drinks score (recommended is ≤ 1) | 2.4 (SD = 1.7) | 2.6 (SD = 1.7) |
Mean fat from dairy score (Recommended is 0) | 7.0 (SD = 4.9) | 7.0 (SD = 5.0) |
Mean non-core foods score (recommended is ≤ 2) | 2.8 (SD = 1.6) | 2.6 (SD = 1.4) |
Dental attendance | ||
Mean dental anxiety score (1–10) | 5.0 (SD = 3.2) | 4.1 (SD = 3.1) |
Mean age at first attendance | 4.8 (SD = 1.3) | 4.7 (SD = 1.5) |
Attended the dentist before (%) | 71% | 63% |
Attends the dentist regularly (%) | 15% | 33% |
Parent not familiar with fluoride varnish (%) | 68% | 62% |
Parent not familiar with fissure sealant (%) | 81% | 82% |