Small-area contextual effects on children's dental caries in Alberta: a multilevel analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the presence of small-area-level effects on children's dental caries in Alberta, Canada, where dental public health programming is targeted in nature, based on an area-level measure of socio-economic circumstances. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included data on tooth decay (from an intra-oral examination conducted by dental hygienists at school) and socio-demographic and behavioural information (from a parent questionnaire) from 5677 grade 1 and 2 schoolchildren attending schools in public or Catholic school systems in Calgary and Edmonton in 2013/2014. Area-level socio-economic circumstances were quantified using the Pampalon Material Deprivation Index derived from census data, applied to the dissemination area (DA) of the child's school. The outcome variable was presence (vs. absence) of tooth decay (cavitation). Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling with two levels: individual level (level 1) and school dissemination area (DA) (level 2). RESULTS: We observed a small but statistically significant area-level effect on children's caries experience, above and beyond individual-level characteristics. CONCLUSION: Study findings are relevant to dental public health programming in Alberta and other jurisdictions that use targeted strategies. Multilevel interventions, including universal approaches, are necessary to reduce inequities in children's dental caries.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Examiner la présence d'effets de petite région sur les caries dentaires des enfants en Alberta, au Canada, où les programmes publics de santé dentaire sont ciblés de nature, d'après un indicateur régional de la situation socioéconomique. MéTHODE: Cette étude transversale a inclus des données sur la carie dentaire (venant d'un examen intra-buccal mené par des hygiénistes dentaires dans les écoles) et des informations sociodémographiques et comportementales (venant d'un questionnaire auprès des parents) concernant 5 677 enfants d'âge scolaire de 1e et de 2e année fréquentant les écoles du système public ou du système catholique de Calgary et d'Edmonton en 2013-2014. La situation socioéconomique régionale a été chiffrée à l'aide de l'indice de défavorisation matérielle de Pampalon dérivé des données du Recensement, lesquelles ont été appliquées à l'aire de diffusion (AD) des écoles des enfants. Le résultat a été la présence (c. l'absence) de carie dentaire (cavitation). Les données ont été analysées par modélisation multiniveaux selon deux niveaux : la personne (niveau 1) et l'AD de l'école (niveau 2). RéSULTATS: Nous avons observé un effet régional léger mais significatif sur l'expérience de caries des enfants, au-delà des caractéristiques individuelles. CONCLUSION: Les constatations de l'étude sont pertinentes pour les programmes de santé dentaire en Alberta et dans d'autres administrations qui utilisent des stratégies ciblées. Des interventions multiniveaux, y compris des approches universelles, sont nécessaires pour réduire les iniquités dans les caries dentaires des enfants.

Ethnic disparities in children's oral health: findings from a population-based survey of grade 1 and 2 schoolchildren in Alberta, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Although oral health has improved remarkably in recent decades, not all populations have benefited equally. Ethnic identity, and in particular visible minority status, has been identified as an important risk factor for poor oral health. Canadian research on ethnic disparities in oral health is extremely limited. The aim of this study was to examine ethnic disparities in oral health outcomes and to assess the extent to which ethnic disparities could be accounted for by demographic, socioeconomic and caries-related behavioral factors, among a population-based sample of grade 1 and 2 schoolchildren (age range: 5-8 years) in Alberta, Canada. METHODS: A dental survey (administered during 2013-14) included a mouth examination and parent questionnaire. Oral health outcomes included: 1) percentage of children with dental caries; 2) number of decayed, extracted/missing (due to caries) and filled teeth; 3) percentage of children with two or more teeth with untreated caries; and 4) percentage of children with parental-ratings of fair or poor oral health. We used multivariable regression analysis to examine ethnic disparities in oral health, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and caries-related behavioral variables. RESULTS: We observed significant ethnic disparities in children's oral health. Most visible minority groups, particularly Filipino and Arab, as well as Indigenous children, were more likely to have worse oral health than White populations. In particular, Filipino children had an almost 5-fold higher odds of having severe untreated dental problems (2 or more teeth with untreated caries) than White children. Adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and caries-related behavior variables attenuated but did not eliminate ethnic disparities in oral health, with the exception of Latin American children whose outcomes did not differ significantly from White populations after adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Significant ethnic disparities in oral health exist in Alberta, Canada, even when adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and caries-related behavioral factors, with Filipino, Arab, and Indigenous children being the most affected.

Equity in children's dental caries before and after cessation of community water fluoridation: differential impact by dental insurance status and geographic material deprivation.

BACKGROUND: One of the main arguments made in favor of community water fluoridation is that it is equitable in its impact on dental caries (i.e., helps to offset inequities in dental caries). Although an equitable effect of fluoridation has been demonstrated in cross-sectional studies, it has not been studied in the context of cessation of community water fluoridation (CWF). The objective of this study was to compare the socio-economic patterns of children's dental caries (tooth decay) in Calgary, Canada, in 2009/10 when CWF was in place, and in 2013/14, after it had been discontinued. METHODS: We analyzed data from population-based samples of schoolchildren (grade 2) in 2009/10 and 2013/14. Data on dental caries (decayed, missing, and filled primary and permanent teeth) were gathered via open mouth exams conducted in schools by registered dental hygienists. We examined the association between dental caries and 1) presence/absence of dental insurance and 2) small area index of material deprivation, using Poisson (zero-inflated) and logistic regression, for both time points separately. For small-area material deprivation at each time point, we also computed the concentration index of inequality for each outcome variable. RESULTS: Statistically significant inequities by dental insurance status and by small area material deprivation were more apparent in 2013/14 than in 2009/10. CONCLUSIONS: Results are consistent with increasing inequities in dental caries following cessation of CWF. However, further research is needed to 1) confirm the effects in a study that includes a comparison community, and 2) explore possible alternative reasons for the findings, including changes in treatment and preventive programming.