Association of smoking in household and dental caries in Japan.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The study investigated the relationship between smoking in the household and dental caries in Japanese children using nationally representative cross-sectional data. METHODS: This study included 925 children aged 1-14 years. A child was considered to have decayed and/or filled teeth if a dentist diagnosed these conditions in deciduous or permanent teeth. Smoking in the household was defined as positive if someone in the household reported smoking cigarettes. RESULTS: No statistically significant relationship was observed between household smoking and caries experience. However, smoking in the household was independently associated with an increased prevalence of decayed teeth. The adjusted mean of filled teeth among children exposed to household smoking was higher than that among non-exposed children. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study failed to substantiate a positive association between passive smoking and caries experience in Japanese children.