Abstract
In Korea, changes in children's diet patterns accelerate their physical growth and development: frequent snacking has been presumed to be a major cause of increasing dental caries. The present study attempts to clarify the relationship between the physical development of growing children and their tooth decay. For this purpose, 632 six-grade children in 4 elementary school located in Urban(Seoul) and Rural(Po-gok, Yang-In) were classified into three groups based on the Weight Length Index(WLI), known to reflect the nutritional conditions of school-age children, and the relationship was analyzed between each group and the variables considered to be related with dental caries. The result is as follows: The average weight and height of the male is $44.88{\pm}10.89$ kg, $148.49{\pm}7.33$ cm and female is $43.35{\pm}9.60$ kg, $149.23{\pm}6.73$ cm, respectively, which are in the similar level with the Korean Physical Standard. The classification of the children by the WLI reveals a relatively high distribution of over-weighted child ren - 212 persons, 335% of the entire population. The DMFT Index was a little high in the rural area(3.15 teeth in urban and 3.31, in rural). Among the groups of children classified by the WLI, the over-weight group have the highest DMFT index(3.69 teeth). The relationship between the frequency of taking in basic nutrients and the DMFT index is also found: the relationship is not evident in case of the foods containing rich calcium, protein, as well as fruits and vegetables. But, in the protein-rich food, higher frequency of its intake means significantly lower DMFT index in the normal-weight group of the urban children. In case of carbohydrate, higher frequency of its intake means significantly higher DMFT index in all the groups of the rural children. The DMFT index has some correlations with the relevant variables: the index has a positive correlation with the frequency of snacking, and a negative correlation with the economic status. That is, the higher the frequency of snacking is, and the lower the economic status is, the higher the DMFT index may be. In the logistic multiple regression analysis conducted with the presence of DMFT as a dependent variable, only the frequency of tooth brushing is turned to be a variable affecting the presence of either decayed, missing, or filled teeth. Based on the above result, the variables affecting the DMFT index are a time spent on eating, frequency of intake of protein and carbohydrate for a week, frequency of snacking, regular dental check-ups, preventive behaviors for oral health(fluoride gargling, tooth brusing after each meal, proper tooth brushing method). These variables have a relationship with the DMFT index, but the degree is somewhat different between the groups classified either by the region or by the WLI. Therefore, appropriate nutrition management should be conducted according to the individual's nutritional conditions when the services like nutritional education are provided based on the closely-examined characteristics of each target group. And, at the same time, oral health education should be strengthened, and its importance should also be emphasized so that people can pay attention to their own oral health.
(Department of Dental Hygiene, Dongnam Health college)
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