Dental attendance and dental health behaviour in children from deprived and non-deprived areas of Salford, north-west England.

Abstract

Firstly, to investigate reported oral health behaviours and changes in behaviour of 3-year-old children in deprived and non-deprived wards of Salford, UK. Secondly, to examine differences in this behaviour between symptomatic and non-symptomatic attenders. Thirdly, to note sources of dental health advice given to parents. Interviews using structured questionnaires. Play groups and nurseries in Salford, North-West England. Interviews with representative groups of mothers of 3-year-old children attending play groups and nurseries in selected deprived and non-deprived wards, enquiring about dental attendance, dental health behaviour and changes in these resulting from dental advice. Mothers of 284 children were interviewed. Over three-quarters of the children were reported to have a drink or food at bed-time, or during the night, often containing non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES); more in the deprived wards. All parents reported a tooth brushing habit with over 90% using a fluoride toothpaste, those in non-deprived wards beginning earlier in life and brushing more frequently. Most parents claimed that their children had seen a dentist at some time; more in the non-deprived wards. More children in deprived wards were symptomatic attenders sometimes experiencing extractions under general anaesthesia. More parents in deprived wards remembered receiving dental health advice from the dental team and were more inclined to act on that advice. Children from deprived wards were reported to have different dental health habits from those from non-deprived wards. They were more likely to be fed NMES in food and drinks at bedtime, begin brushing later in life and brush less frequently and attend the dentist symptomatically. Their parents claimed to have received more dental health advice from the dental team and were more likely to act on that advice.