Associations of Community Water Fluoridation with Caries Prevalence and Oral Health Inequality in Children

Han-Na Kim, Jeong-Hee Kim, Se-Yeon Kim and Jin-Bom Kim
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Han-Na Kim: Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Sciences, Cheongju University, 298, Daesung-ro, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju 28503, Korea
Jeong-Hee Kim: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, 49, Busandaehak-ro, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 50612, Korea
Se-Yeon Kim: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, 49, Busandaehak-ro, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 50612, Korea
Jin-Bom Kim: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, 49, Busandaehak-ro, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 50612, Korea

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: This study aimed to confirm the association between the community water fluoridation (CWF) programme and dental caries prevention on permanent teeth, comparing to a control area, neighbouring population without the programme, and verifying whether the programme can reduce the socio-economic inequality related to the oral health of children in Korea. Evaluation surveys were conducted among 6-, 8-, and 11-year-old children living in Okcheon (CWF) and neighbouring Yeongdong (non-CWF, control area) towns in South Korea. Data on monthly family income, caregiver educational level, and Family Affluence Scale scores were evaluated using questionnaires that were distributed to the parents. The effectiveness of CWF in caries reduction was calculated based on the differences in decayed, missing, and filled teeth and decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces indices between the two towns. The data were analysed using logistic regression and univariate analysis of variance. Both 8- and 11-year-old children living in the CWF area had lower dental caries prevalence than those living in the non-CWF community. Differences in dental caries prevalence based on educational level were found in the control area but not in the CWF area. Socio-economic factor-related inequality in oral health were observed in the non-CWF community. Additionally, 8- and 11-year-old children living in the CWF area displayed lower dental caries prevalence in the pit-and-fissure and smooth surfaces than those living in the non-CWF community. These results suggest that CWF programmes are effective in the prevention of caries on permanent teeth and can reduce oral health inequalities among children. The implementation of CWF programmes should be sustained to overcome oral health inequalities due to socio-economic factors and improve children’s overall oral health.

Keywords: dental caries reduction; children; dental caries; inequality; oral health; community water fluoridation; social inequalities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:6:p:631-:d:101343

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