The Quantification of Nursery Environment to Caries Prevalence in Children

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible role of the nursery environment in relation to the caries prevalence in children. On the basis of oral examinations of 138 children (87 boys and 51 girls), their ages ranging from 3 to 6 yr., and the questionnaires to their parents, the correlation of the caries factors to nursery environment were studied. The affects of the nursery environment on the deciduous caries incidence were evaluated using Hayashi's Quantification scaling type I. The correlation of the factor to factor were evaluated by Stuart's coefficient. The results obtained in the present study were as follows. 1. Each factor of nursery environment was quantified as items of caries. (1) Every day tooth brushing before sleeping (sometimes: 3 points, certainly: 8 points) (2) Intake of between-meal snacks regularly (8 points) (3) Frequency of between-meal snacks per day (2 times: 8 points; less than 1 time: 12 points) (4) Sweetened bevarages not stored in refrigerator (5 points) (5) Intake of nothing but water and tea before sleeping (27 points) (6) Not buying sweets by oneself (8 points) (7) Drinks, intake chiefly of milk, hand made juice, tea and water (4 points) (8) Good appetite (1 point) (9) Not instructions or suggestions concerning caries or caries initiation (20points) (10)Cariostdaat ta (0∼7 points) 2. More than 50% of the caries could be predicted with 10 nursery environmental factors: contribution rate R2=0.518. 3. A reference pattern was found by correlation of caries factors in the nursery environment. 4. It was suggested from the aforementioned results that giving a disciplined nursery environment to the child is a positive factor in caries prevention factors. 5. Controled snacks and bevarages after dinner were suggested and the methods most prefered for preventing caries initiation.