Greek dental students' attitudes toward tobacco control programmes

Aim: To explore the preparedness of Greek dental university students for advising patients to quit smoking; how the awareness of the students is modified from the beginning of university studies to graduation; and how it is associated with their smoking habits. Materials and methods: Officially registered dental students (n=165) participated in the study by completing anonymously a 16-item questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted with the use of standard univariate statistical methods, whereas multivariate analysis relied on logistic regression modelling. Results: Students showed significant knowledge attainment on tobacco health effects from the beginning of their studies to graduation, although 54% of graduating students were not aware of an association between smoking and implant failure. More than 80% considered tobacco cessation counselling a duty of every dentist, although 32% believed it to be ineffective. Almost half of the students felt unprepared to provide tobacco counselling. Students' attitudes towards tobacco cessation counselling did not change from the beginning of their studies to graduation, although they were modified by personal smoking habits. Non-smokers were significantly more optimistic than smokers about the effectiveness of tobacco cessation activities. Conclusions: Dental school students represent a promising baseline for education on tobacco control protocol development and clinical tobacco cessation intervention techniques

Tooth wear in the deciduous dentition of 5-7-year-old children: Risk factors

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution and severity of tooth wear in deciduous dentition and its relationship with possible risk factors. A stratified cluster sample of 243 5-7-year-old children was examined using the tooth wear index of Smith and Knight, and their exposure to intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors was retrospectively investigated through a structured questionnaire. The severity of wear was quantitatively estimated by the number of surfaces with affected dentine and by the cumulative score of the sextants, based on the Basic Erosive Wear Examination scoring system. Only 1.6% of the children were tooth wear free, whereas 45.6% had moderate to severe wear involving dentine. Maxillary canines were the most affected teeth (83.2%), and occlusal/incisal the most affected surfaces (52.7%). The likelihood of tooth wear involving dentine was greater in boys than girls (OR = 1.72), in immigrants than in Greeks (OR = 1.93), and in 6- and 7-year olds than in 5-year olds (OR = 2.78 to 2.93). After adjustment for age, gender, and nationality, exposure to several dietary factors and especially to soft drinks was found to significantly affect the prevalence (OR = 1.27) and the severity of tooth wear. Every additional serving/week of consumption of soft drinks increases the number of surfaces with dentine affected by 0.03 per year (p < 0. 05) and the cumulative score of sextants by 0. 04 (p < 0.05). The cluster of children with the higher prevalence and severity of tooth wear had an average exposure to soft drinks of 10 servings/week for a duration of 4 years. The cumulative score of sextants was better predicted by the assessed risk factors, in comparison with the number of surfaces with affected dentine. Tooth wear is a common condition in children, related both to the physiological process of aging of dentition and to the erosive effect of dietary factors. Strategies to reduce the intake of soft drinks in children are expected to have multiple benefits preventing tooth wear in childhood and in later life, as well as many other general and oral health diseases. © 2011 Springer-Verlag

Dental caries prevalence and treatment needs of 5- to 12-year-old children in relation to area-based income and immigrant background in Greece

Objectives: To investigate the association between certain socio-demographic characteristics and dental health status of 5- to 12-year-old children attending public kindergarten and primary schools in Piraeus, Greece. Methods: Gender, age, place of residence, immigrant background and area-based income were associated with dental caries prevalence, treatment needs and oral hygiene level in 5,116 children. Results: The mean number of decayed, missing and filled deciduous teeth (dmft) and Unmet Restorative Treatment Needs Index (UTN) at 6-year-olds were 1.54 and 84.6% respectively, and the DMFT and UTN at 12-year-olds were 1.35 and 71.8%. Caries experience/severity significantly increased with age, whereas treatment needs and oral hygiene level decreased (P < 0.001). Immigrant background and low area-based income was associated with poorer oral health outcomes. The above associations retained statistical significance after multivariate analysis. Children who live in areas with lower average income present 1.20 to 2.14 greater risk of having higher caries severity and poorer oral hygiene in comparison to those living in more affluent areas, and children with an immigrant background have 1.68 to 4.34 higher likelihood to present higher dmft and DMFT values, higher unmet treatment needs, and poorer oral hygiene levels compared to their Greek counterparts above and beyond the effect of the other risk factors assessed. Conclusions: The present study revealed a socio-demographic gradient in oral health status and treatment needs of children in Piraeus, Greece. © 2011 FDI World Dental Federation

The extent of food advertising to children on Greek television: Focus on foods potentially detrimental to oral health

Objectives: To investigate the extent and nature of food advertising to children on Greek television, focusing on the adverts for foods with potential harmful effects on oral health, and to examine the persuasive marketing techniques used to promote food products. Methods: Advertisements broadcast on six TV-channels during children's peak viewing times on two weekdays and two weekend days in the period May-June 2010 were recorded (166.7 hours). Each advertisement was coded according to: Date, day, length, type of program in which the ad appeared, type of product advertised and promotional technique used. Food advertisements were subdivided according to their sugar and/or acid content as potentially harmful or non-harmful to teeth. Results: Food advertisements had an average frequency of 8.0 per hour during children's peak viewing times with highest frequency (11.4 per hour) on weekends during child-focused programs. Of all advertisements, 1330 (26.7%) were for foods, and 595 (44.7%) of these deemed to be potentially harmful to teeth. The most commonly advertised food product during children's programs was confectionery, 80 (27.7%). Of food advertisements, 199 (15.0%) used at least one of the promotional techniques likely to appeal to children. Advertisements for foods potentially harmful for teeth were more likely to be shown during child-focused programs (OR 2.92, 95%CI 2.04-4.16) and to promise a free gift with purchase (OR 35.43, 95%CI 10.83-115.88). Conclusion: Children in Greece are exposed to a large volume of advertisements for unhealthy foods and drinks, which intensively use persuasive techniques proved to affect children's food preferences and consumption. Our study provides evidence that could support advocacy and interventions for the regulation of food advertising. © BASCD 2014

The short-term effects of television advertisements of cariogenic foods on children's dietary choices

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term influence of the advertising of cariogenic foods on children's dietary preferences, and the possible moderating effect of several factors on this influence. METHODS: One-hundred and eighty-three children, 11-12 years of age, were exposed to advertisements showing sugary food and non-food items, in a within-subject counterbalanced design. Their preferences for unhealthy and healthy foods, and their ability to recall or recognise the advertisements, were measured following both sessions. Information on their dietary habits, leisure activities and sociodemographic details were obtained through a questionnaire completed by their parents. Their decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index, body weight and height were also recorded. A generalised linear mixed model was used to examine the differences in food preferences between experimental conditions, and the associations between children's preferences and the other factors assessed. RESULTS: Exposure to food advertisements significantly decreased the selection of healthy foods. Children with a higher DMFT index chose a higher percentage of unhealthy foods, and children who spent more time watching television chose an increased number of healthy foods, after their exposure to food advertisements. Regardless of condition, girls selected fewer foods than boys. Children with a higher DMFT index selected more unhealthy foods than children with a lower DMFT index. Obese children chose an increased number of healthy foods than those who were overweight and normal weight. CONCLUSIONS: Food advertisements can divert, for a short time, children's preference over healthy food choices, and could lead to changes in their eating habits, which may put them at higher risk of dental diseases and obesity. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation