TABLE 3—
Subjective and Objective Measures of Oral Health: Impact of Oral Health Problems on Children and Parents, Los Angeles County, California, 2008–2009
| Subjective Measures of Oral Health, OR (95% CI) |
Objective Measures of Oral Health, OR (95% CI) |
|||||
| Outcome Variables | Control Group | Median | Toothache | Inaccessible Dental Needs | Cavitated or Noncavitated Caries | Urgent Dental Needs |
| Child’s attendance | ||||||
| No. of child’s total absent d (for any reason)a | < 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.4 (0.9, 2.2) | 0.9 (0.6, 1.4) | 1.0 (0.7, 1.5) | 2.3* (1.2, 4.7) |
| The child had ≥ 1 absent d (for dental problems)b | No absence | … | 5.7*** (3.5, 9.3) | 3.0*** (1.8, 5.0) | 1.5 (0.9, 2.7) | 1.9 (1.0, 3.6) |
| No. of child’s absent d (for dental problems)b | < 2 | 2 | 1.5 (0.5, 4.1) | 1.2 (0.4, 3.7) | 0.3 (0.1, 1.3) | 0.4 (0.1, 1.6) |
| Parent’s absences because of child’s dental problem | ||||||
| The parent had ≥ 1 absent d (for child’s dental problems)b | No absence | … | 4.1*** (2.5, 6.5) | 2.3** (1.4, 3.8) | 2.2* (1.2, 4.0) | 1.3 (0.7, 2.7) |
| No. of parent’s absent d (for child’s dental problems)b | < 2 | 2 | 1.2 (0.4, 3.5) | 0.8 (0.2, 2.3) | 1.5 (0.4, 5.2) | 1.1 (0.2, 4.8) |
| Academic achievement | ||||||
| Test score in English language arts | ≥ 347 | 347 | 1.2 (0.8, 1.9) | 1.5 (1.0, 2.4) | 1.3 (0.9, 1.9) | 1.1 (0.6, 2.1) |
| Test score in mathematics | ≥ 329 | 329 | 1.2 (0.8, 1.9) | 1.1 (0.7, 1.8) | 1.3 (0.9, 1.8) | 1.3 (0.7, 2.5) |
| Proficiency in English language arts | ≥ 4 | 4 | 1.3 (0.8, 2.1) | 1.5 (0.9, 2.3) | 1.5* (1.1, 2.2) | 1.0 (0.5, 1.9) |
| Proficiency in mathematics | ≥ 3 | 3 | 1.0 (0.6, 1.5) | 1.3 (0.8, 2.0) | 1.2 (0.8, 1.8) | 0.8 (0.4, 1.7) |
| GPA | ≥ 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.7*** (1.8, 7.6) | 0.7 (0.4, 1.3) | 1.1 (0.7, 1.8) | 2.6 (0.8, 8.6) |
Note. CI = confidence interval; GPA = grade point average; OR = odds ratio.
a
Data are from the LAUSD Academic Records database (n = 629).
b
Data are from the questionnaire completed by the parents (n = 1495).
* P < .05; **P < .01; ***P < .001.