International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 16, Issue 6, 2019

Immigrant–native differences in sugar-sweetened beverage and snack consumption and preventive behaviors associated with severe early childhood caries: A large-scale survey in Taiwan (Article) (Open Access)

Lin Y.-C. , Chang C.-S. , Ho P.-S. , Lee C.-H. , Chen J.-H. , Huang H.-L.*
  • a Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
  • b Taiwan Society of Oral Health, Keelung, 201, Taiwan, School of Oral Hygiene, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
  • c Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Division of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
  • d Division of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Department of Public Health and Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
  • e School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Department of Prosthodontics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
  • f Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan

Abstract

This study assessed the differences between immigrants and natives in terms of combined effects of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) or snack consumption and preventive behaviors for severe early childhood caries (SECC) through a large-scale survey of 31,565 native and 1046 immigrant child–parent pairs in Taiwan. Children aged 3–5 years underwent dental examinations, and parents completed structured questionnaires. Immigrants had a significantly higher SECC prevalence than native children (32.3% vs. 19.4%). A combined effect of SECC was observed in native children who did not receive assistance when brushing teeth at night before sleep and those who consumed SSBs more than four times weekly (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.8). Moreover, native children who did not use dental floss and who consumed snacks more than four times weekly had an aOR of 4.1 for SECC. The combined effects of children with immigrant parents who did not receive assistance when brushing their teeth at night before sleep and those who consumed snacks more than four times weekly had an aOR of 8.2 for SECC. The results suggest the necessity of cross-cultural caries prevention programs for immigrants. Parents must limit children’s SSB and snack intake, and implement preventive measures to reduce SECC development. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Caries prevention Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) Fluoride varnish Flossing Tooth brushing Immigrant Snacks Severe early childhood caries (SECC)

Index Keywords

Parents immigrant food consumption Fluoridation health survey indigenous people human Health Behavior Odds Ratio statistics and numerical data tooth controlled study feeding behavior survey Beverages fluoride tooth brushing Taiwan dental procedure Cross-Sectional Studies Surveys and Questionnaires cross-sectional study migrant ethnic difference fast food Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants preschool child female young population Child, Preschool questionnaire dental caries prevalence Article major clinical study disease severity administration and dosage beverage disease association structured questionnaire Toothbrushing mouth examination Snacks Dietary Sucrose sugar intake child parent relation sugar-sweetened beverage Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85063713171&doi=10.3390%2fijerph16061047&partnerID=40&md5=67d95b9426914179db111b2b786591dc
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16061047
ISSN: 16617827
Original Language: English