The influence of family socioeconomic status on toothbrushing practices in Australian children.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nTo assess the relationship between toothbrushing behavior and socio-demographic characteristics in Australian children.\n\n\nMETHODS\nData were collected through the 2012-2014 Australian National Child Oral Health Survey (NCOHS). NCOHS was a cross-sectional survey of representative school children aged 5-14\u2009years of Australia with a total sample size of 24,664 children.\n\n\nRESULTS\nTwo-thirds (69%) of Australian children brushed twice or more times a day and the mean age of starting toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste was 24\u2009months. Males were less consistent with toothbrushing than females (OR\xa0=\xa00.85; 95% CI: 0.74-0.97) and the likelihood of brushing twice or more a day improved with the increase in age (OR\xa0=\xa01.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.08). Children with university educated (OR\xa0=\xa01.80; 95% CI: 1.44-2.26), vocational trained parents /guardians (OR\xa0=\xa01.45, 95% CI 1.11-1.90), living in families with an income of >AU$120,000 (OR\xa0=\xa01.42; 95% CI: 1.08-1.89) and having an overseas born parent (OR\xa0=\xa01.30; 95% CI: 1.07-1.58) were more likely to brush their teeth twice or more a day than their comparative counterparts. Children in households with two children (OR\xa0=\xa01.33; 95% CI: 1.07-1.64) were more likely to brush twice or more than single-child households. Children with a health welfare card tended to delay the start of toothbrushing by 1.4\xa0months in comparison to those without a welfare card. Children with one of the caregivers born overseas started brushing later than those with Australia born caregivers (B\xa0=\u20091.04; SE\xa0=\xa00.46). Children living in high income and educated families and households with two or more children tended to start toothbrushing at an earlier age.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nSeveral family socio-demographic factors influenced toothbrushing habits in Australian children.