The relative effects of residential and school environments on the dental caries experience of 5- and 12-year-old children in the north west of England

Abstract

Objective To identify the relative influence of home and school environments on children's caries experience in both the primary and secondary dentitions.

Setting The north west of England.

Method Data were used from surveys of 5- and 12-year-old children in the north west of England. Super Profiles was used to categorise children into four groups based on the areas in which their home address and school were located. Differences in dental caries experience were examined using t-tests with Bonferroni modification to the p-value.

Results Five-year-old children living in deprived areas and attending schools in deprived areas, and those living in a deprived area but attending a school in an affluent area had significantly (p<0.05) more disease than children from affluent areas who attended schools in deprived areas and those from affluent areas who attended schools in affluent areas. The situation in 12-year-olds differed, those living in deprived areas and attending schools in deprived areas having significantly (p<0.05) more disease than children from the other three groups.

Conclusions The results suggest that the main influence on dental disease experience in both 5- and 12-year-olds is the home environment. The results have implications for the planning of health promotion interventions.