Promoting oral health among 6-year old children: The impact of social environment and feeding behavior

Objective: To determine the prevalence of dental caries and identify key associated factors, including eating habits, body mass index, and the presence of dental plaque in immigrant and indigenous children. Basic research design: Observational study with immigrant and native child populations (aged 6 years) with logistic regression analysis. Setting: Oral Public Health Service in the Asturias region of Spain. Participants: The presence of dental caries (World Health Organization) and oral hygiene (O'Leary index) were determined in 166 children. Information on eating habits was collected through a survey on food consumption (European Food Safety Authority). Result: Children from immigrant families had more decayed and filled teeth index (2.59 vs. 0.21; Crude OR: 7.99 [95% CI 3.620-17.636]). In univariate analysis, protective factors were daily intake of milk and fruits (p <0.001). In multivariate analysis, the presence of caries was associated with immigrant status, consumption of sugary foods, and being overweight, (OR: 13.179 [4.668-37.208]). Conclusion: Public Institutions must take into account our results to help reduce caries in immigrant children.