The Association Between Daily Pocket Money and DMFT among Children Aged 12 Years in Primary School at Khumuang District, Buriram Province

Abstract

          A cross-sectional analytical study examined the association between daily pocket money and the number of permanent decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) among primary school children aged 12 years at Khumuang district, Buriram province. Samples were 299 students drawn by a systematic sampling method. The Daily pocket money was assessed in term of the payment for snack per week in baht. An oral health survey form, and daily pocket money compilation forms and questionnaires for face-to-face interview were employed for data collection. Data were analyzed by the zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINB) with accounted for some covariate variables. Results showed an increase in the quantity of DMFT among children who paid for snack more than 80 baht per week (Adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRRadj]=1.56, 95%CI=1.19- 2.06), those with their caregiver had education under secondary school level (IRRadj=1.29, 95%CI=1.05-1.59) and those who lived in a household with more than 2-3 smokers (IRRadj=1.27, 95%CI=1.01-1.61). Thai-Esan ethnic children had higher DMFT than Thai-Combodian ethnic children 1.34 time (95% CI: 1.04-1.72); there were no statistically different DMFT between Thai-Korat ethnic children and Thai-Combodian ethnic children (IRRadj = 1.28; 95% CI= 0.92-1.78). Although the magnitude of association was low, the association between daily pocket money and DMFT was confirmed. To provide a suitable strategy to handle the oral health problem among children aged 12 years, this point should be considered.