Association between Oral Health Indicators in 13- to 15-years-old Children of ELSPAC Group Brno and Parental Educational Level
Abstract
Many data in the literature suggests that parents' education , as well as a medical condition in childhood have an impact on the incidence of dental caries in children. Medical Faculty of Masaryk University in Brno is involved in the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood ( ELSPAC ) , which evaluates the medical and psychosocial data obtained from large group of children born in one year.
Data on oral health of these children, however, were not included in the parameters studied in this project. The aim of our study was to assess, in a retrospective study of the relationship between the incidence of caries and the presence and severity of gingivitis in children aged 15 - 13 observed in the group ELSPAC Brno and educational level of their parents.
Randomly selected children from the group ELSPAC Brno ( n = 780 ) , which agreed / whose parents agreed to their inclusion in the study were examined in Dental Clinic, St.. Anna Hospital, Masaryk University.
For children we have seen KPE index ( according to WHO criteria ) , gingivitis was assessed using the modified gingival index (GI ) ( Loe - Silness ). We focused on monitoring the association between KPE / GI and educational level of the parents.
The statistical evaluation of the obtained results was used ANOVA and chi2 - test. ( Statistica v. 8.0 . , Statsoft Inc . , Tulsa , USA. ) The level of education of mother (not the father ) was significantly negatively correlated with KPE index in children ( p < 0.05). The relationship between parents' education and manifestations of gingivitis, we could not prove.
The study confirmed a significant relationship between the level of education of mothers (but not fathers ), and dental decay in children , while the relationship of the level of education of parents and gingivitis in their children could not be demonstrated .