Caries and background factors in Norwegian and immigrant 5-year-old children

The purpose of this study was to assess the caries status of 5-year-olds in a low caries area, and study associations between dental caries and parent-related factors: parents' education, national origin, oral health behaviours and attitudes.

The material consisted of 523 children and was a stratified random sample. Clinical and radiographic examination was performed in 2007. Enamel and dentine caries were recorded at surface level. Parents filled in questionnaires regarding socioeconomic status, their own oral health behaviours and attitudes.

Most participants (66%) had no caries experience and 16% had enamel caries only. Dentine caries experience was present in 18% of the children, and 5% had dentine caries experience in five or more teeth. Surfaces with enamel caries constituted half of all surfaces with caries experience. In multiple logistic regression, statistically significant risk indicators for the child having dentine caries experience at the age of five were: having one or both parents of non-western origin (OR = 4.8), both parents (OR = 3.0) or one parent (OR = 2.1) with low education, parental laxness about the child's tooth brushing (OR = 2.8), parents' brushing their own teeth less than twice a day (OR = 2.2) and having parents with frequent sugar intakes (OR = 1.8).

Caries prevalence in 5-year-olds was strongly associated with parent-related factors signifying that information on parents' socioeconomic status, dental behaviours and attitudes should be considered when planning dental services for young children. Our results suggest that the real high risk group is non-western children whose parents have low education.