Table 1.
Distribution of various characteristics of study population and the relationship with caries status
| Characteristic | All subjects (n = 578) | Caries status | p value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (n = 480) | No (n = 98) | |||
| Age group | ||||
| 6 years | 217 | 190 (87.6) | 27 (12.4) | <0.0001 |
| 7 years | 188 | 137 (72.9) | 51 (27.1) | |
| 8 years | 173 | 153 (88.4) | 20 (11.6) | |
| I. Socioeconomic factors | ||||
| Father’s education | ||||
| Low level (high school or less) | 380 | 368 (96.8) | 12 (3.2) | < 0.0001 |
| High level (college or university) | 198 | 112 (56.6) | 86 (43.4) | |
| Mother’s education | ||||
| Low level (high school or less) | 427 | 405 (94.8) | 22 (5.2) | < 0.0001 |
| High level (college or university) | 151 | 75 (49.7) | 76 (50.3) | |
| Parent’s occupation | ||||
| Health care provider | 30 | 2 (6.7) | 28 (93.3) | < 0.0001 |
| Other occupations | 548 | 478 (87.2) | 70 (12.8) | |
| Family monthly income | ||||
| Low (≤ 10,000SR) | 345 | 341 (98.8) | 4 (1.2) | < 0.0001 |
| High (> 10,000SR) | 233 | 139 (59.7) | 94 (40.3) | |
| Region of residence | ||||
| North Riyadh | 79 | 44 (55.7) | 35 (44.3) | < 0.0001 |
| South Riyadh | 114 | 106 (93.0) | 8 (7.0) | |
| East Riyadh | 200 | 180 (90.0) | 20 (10.0) | |
| West Riyadh | 108 | 83 (76.9) | 25 (23.1) | |
| Central Riyadh | 77 | 67 (87.0) | 10 (13.0) | |
| Type of residence | ||||
| Rental home | 482 | 446 (92.5) | 36 (7.5) | < 0.0001 |
| Own home | 96 | 34 (35.4) | 62 (64.6) | |
| Medical insurance with dental coverage | ||||
| No | 447 | 423 (94.6) | 24 (5.4) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 131 | 57 (43.5) | 74 (56.5) | |
| II. Child oral health behavior and practices | ||||
| Frequency of brushing teeth per day | ||||
| Less than once daily | 320 | 318 (99.4) | 2 (0.7) | < 0.0001 |
| Once daily | 128 | 100 (78.1) | 28 (21.9) | |
| Two times or more daily | 130 | 62 (47.7) | 68 (52.3) | |
| Started brushing teeth at the age | ||||
| 2 years or less | 50 | 22 (44.0) | 28 (56.0) | < 0.0001 |
| 3 years | 82 | 46 (56.1) | 36 (43.9) | |
| 4 years | 59 | 47 (79.7) | 12 (20.3) | |
| 5–6 years | 333 | 315 (94.6) | 18 (5.4) | |
| Unknown | 54 | 50 (92.6) | 4 (7.4) | |
| Dental floss use | ||||
| No | 568 | 472 (83.1) | 96 (16.9) | 0.6806† |
| Yes | 10 | 8 (80.0) | 2 (20.0) | |
| Mouthwash use | ||||
| No | 553 | 466 (84.3) | 87 (15.7) | 0.0011† |
| Yes | 25 | 14 (56.0) | 11 (44.0) | |
| Frequency of fluoride application | ||||
| None | 454 | 414 (91.2) | 40 (8.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Every 6 months | 42 | 18 (42.9) | 24 (57.1) | |
| Every 1 year | 38 | 8 (21.1) | 30 (78.9) | |
| Unknown | 44 | 40 (90.9) | 4 (9.1) | |
| Recent visit to dentist | ||||
| Did not visit or unknown | 99 | 71 (71.7) | 28 (28.3) | < 0.0001 |
| > 1 year | 214 | 208 (97.2) | 6 (2.8) | |
| ≤ 1 year | 265 | 201 (75.8) | 64 (24.2) | |
| Reason for recent dental visit | ||||
| Did not visit or unknown | 93 | 67 (72.0) | 26 (28.0) | < 0.0001 |
| Toothache | 363 | 357 (98.3) | 6 (1.7) | |
| Checkup or consultation | 122 | 56 (45.9) | 66 (54.1) | |
| Child ate after brushing teeth in the night | ||||
| No | 221 | 133 (60.2) | 88 (39.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 357 | 347 (97.2) | 10 (2.8) | |
| III. Child feeding practices | ||||
| Type of milk feeding practice | ||||
| Breast-fed only | 29 | 27 (93.1) | 2 (6.9) | 0.0163 |
| Mixed-fed | 487 | 395 (81.1) | 92 (18.9) | |
| Powdered milk only | 62 | 58 (93.6) | 4 (6.5) | |
| Age of the child when breast feeding was stopped | ||||
| ≤ 1 year | 409 | 361 (88.3) | 48 (11.7) | < 0.0001 |
| > 1 year | 169 | 119 (70.4) | 50 (29.6) | |
| Age of the child when drinking with a bottle was stopped | ||||
| ≤ 1 year | 50 | 44 (88.0) | 6 (12.0) | 0.3286 |
| > 1 year | 528 | 436 (82.6) | 92 (17.4) | |
| Child sleeps with bottle in mouth | ||||
| No | 154 | 72 (46.8) | 82 (53.2) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 424 | 408 (96.2) | 16 (3.8) | |
| Number of meals per day | ||||
| 1–2 meals | 47 | 42 (89.4) | 5 (10.6) | 0.2286 |
| 3 or more meals | 531 | 438 (82.5) | 93 (17.5) | |
| Number of snacks consumed between meals | ||||
| One snack | 156 | 78 (50.0) | 78 (50.0) | < 0.0001 |
| 2 or more snacks | 422 | 402 (95.3) | 20 (4.7) | |
| Snack time corresponding to main meals | ||||
| With main meals only | 80 | 26 (32.5) | 54 (67.5) | < 0.0001 |
| Between or with main meals | 390 | 370 (94.9) | 20 (5.1) | |
| Unknown | 108 | 84 (77.8) | 24 (22.2) | |
| IV. Dietary factors (consumed at least twice a week) | ||||
| Multivitamin supplementation | ||||
| No | 532 | 446 (83.8) | 86 (16.2) | 0.0853 |
| Yes | 46 | 34 (73.9) | 12 (26.1) | |
| Fresh fruits | ||||
| No | 408 | 390 (95.6) | 18 (4.4) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 170 | 90 (52.9) | 80 (47.1) | |
| Fresh vegetables or salads | ||||
| No | 137 | 127 (92.7) | 10 (7.3) | 0.0006 |
| Yes | 441 | 353 (80.0) | 88 (20.0) | |
| Fast food | ||||
| No | 235 | 157 (66.8) | 78 (33.2) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 343 | 323 (94.2) | 20 (5.8) | |
| Candy | ||||
| No | 96 | 60 (62.5) | 36 (37.5) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 482 | 420 (87.1) | 62 (12.9) | |
| Potato chips | ||||
| No | 96 | 64 (66.7) | 32 (33.3) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 482 | 416 (86.3) | 66 (13.7) | |
| Sweetened chewing gum | ||||
| No | 467 | 379 (81.2) | 88 (18.8) | 0.0131 |
| Yes | 111 | 101 (91.0) | 10 (9.0) | |
| Fresh juice | ||||
| No | 394 | 370 (93.9) | 24 (6.1) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 184 | 110 (59.8) | 74 (40.2) | |
| Flavored juices | ||||
| No | 58 | 44 (75.9) | 14 (24.1) | 0.1243 |
| Yes | 520 | 436 (83.8) | 84 (16.2) | |
| Soft drinks | ||||
| No | 183 | 105 (57.4) | 78 (42.6) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 395 | 375 (94.9) | 20 (5.1) | |
| Fresh milk | ||||
| No | 244 | 220 (90.2) | 24 (9.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Yes | 334 | 260 (77.8) | 74 (22.2) | |
| Flavored milk | ||||
| No | 372 | 294 (79.0) | 78 (21.0) | 0.0006 |
| Yes | 206 | 186 (90.3) | 20 (9.7) | |
*p value was based on the Pearson chi-squared test to evaluate the independence of sample characteristic and caries status
†p value was based on Fisher’s exact tests