The Effect of Parental Education and Socioeconomic Status on Dental Caries among Saudi Children

Passent Ellakany, Marwa Madi, Shaimaa M. Fouda, Maria Ibrahim and Jehan AlHumaid
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Passent Ellakany: Department of Substitutive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
Marwa Madi: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
Shaimaa M. Fouda: Department of Substitutive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
Maria Ibrahim: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
Jehan AlHumaid: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-10

Abstract: Parental attitudes toward the importance of oral hygiene have an impact on the formation of their children’s oral habits and the prevalence of oral diseases. Our aim was to assess the association between parents’ education and socioeconomic status and their children’s oral health. A cross-sectional study was conducted between the years of 2018 and 2020 in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia among primary school children. Two pre-calibrated dentists performed the clinical examination of the children, and a self-administered validated questionnaire was obtained from their parents. Clinical examination was performed on 589 children with an age range of 3 to 14 years, where 47% were males and 53% were females, 70% with dental caries. Both parents with higher education and a high monthly income were significantly associated with lower prevalence of decayed teeth in their children, respectively. Mother’s education, age, gender and application of sealant were found significantly associated with the high prevalence of caries. High prevalence of tooth decay was reported among school children in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. A high educational level of parents and high income were correlated with a lower prevalence of decayed teeth, similarly to the situation in the case of presence of medical insurance.

Keywords: caries; parental education; income; medical insurance; teeth brushing; fluoridated toothpaste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:11862-:d:677463

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