Dental caries and associated factors among adolescents aged 12 to 15 in Jiangxi Province, China

Background The purpose of this survey was to examine the association of general characteristics, oral health knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and dental caries status among adolescents in Jiangxi Province and to provide a basis for future prevention of dental caries among middle school students. Methods A total of 8,160 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years were invited to participate in this survey by a stratified random cluster sampling method from 30 schools in five counties in Jiangxi Province. A self‐administered questionnaire was used to understand their basic characteristics, including oral health behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes. Chi‐square tests were used to compare dental caries status and general characteristics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to study the effects of oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behavior on dental caries. Results The prevalence of dental caries in permanent teeth was 25.8 percent, and the mean DMFT score of 12‐ to 15‐year‐old adolescents was 0.48 ± 1.04. The prevalence in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas (P