Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
BMC Public Health. 2010 Jun 14;10:335. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-335.
Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) is perhaps one of the most important toxic exposures in childhood. However, epidemiological studies on the relation between SHSe and dental caries are limited and have yielded inconsistent results. The present cross-sectional study examined the potential association between SHSe at home and the prevalence of dental caries in children.
Subjects were 20,703 schoolchildren aged 6 to 15 years in Okinawa, Japan. Information on SHSe at home and potential confounding factors was obtained through questionnaires. Data on dental caries were obtained from school records. Children were classified as having decayed and/or filled teeth (DFT) if a dentist diagnosed these conditions. Additionally, we analyzed decayed teeth (DT) and filled teeth (FT) separately. Adjustment was made for sex, age, region of residence, toothbrushing frequency, use of fluoride, sugar intake, and paternal and maternal educational level.
The prevalence of DFT was 82.0%. Compared with never smoking in the household, former and current household smoking were independently associated with an increased prevalence of DFT (adjusted prevalence ratios [95% confidence intervals] for former household smoking and current light and heavy household smoking were 1.03 [1.00-1.05], 1.04 [1.02-1.05], and 1.04 [1.03-1.06], respectively); when analyzed separately there was an increased prevalence of DT (adjusted prevalence ratios [95% confidence intervals] for former household smoking and current light and heavy household smoking were 1.06 [1.02-1.11], 1.10 [1.06-1.13], and 1.10 [1.07-1.14], respectively) but not FT. A statistically significant dose-response relationship between cumulative smoking in the household and the prevalence of DFT and DT (P for trend < 0.0001), but not FT, was observed. In an analysis of 2 subgroups, subjects who had at least 1 deciduous tooth and subjects who had at least 1 permanent tooth, household smoking exposure was associated with an increased prevalence of DFT and DT not only in those with deciduous but also those with permanent dentition.
Our findings suggested that household smoking might be associated with an increased prevalence of dental caries in children.
二手烟暴露（SHSe）可能是儿童时期最重要的有毒暴露之一。然而，关于 SHSe 与龋齿之间关系的流行病学研究有限，且结果不一致。本横断面研究旨在检验家庭内 SHSe 与儿童龋齿患病率之间的潜在关联。
研究对象为日本冲绳县 20703 名 6 至 15 岁的在校儿童。通过问卷调查获得家庭内 SHSe 及潜在混杂因素相关信息。龋齿相关数据则从学校记录中获取。若牙医诊断儿童患有龋齿或已填补，则将其归类为患有龋齿和/或已填补的牙齿（DFT）。此外，我们还分别分析了龋齿（DT）和已填补的牙齿（FT）。校正因素包括性别、年龄、居住地、刷牙频率、使用氟化物、糖摄入量以及父母的受教育程度。
DFT 的患病率为 82.0%。与家中从不吸烟相比，家中曾吸烟和当前吸烟均与 DFT 患病率的增加独立相关（家中曾吸烟以及当前轻、重度吸烟的校正患病率比[95%置信区间]分别为 1.03[1.00-1.05]、1.04[1.02-1.05]和 1.04[1.03-1.06]）；单独分析时，DT 的患病率也有所增加（家中曾吸烟以及当前轻、重度吸烟的校正患病率比分别为 1.06[1.02-1.11]、1.10[1.06-1.13]和 1.10[1.07-1.14]），但 FT 无此现象。家庭内累计吸烟量与 DFT 和 DT 患病率之间存在显著的剂量-反应关系（趋势检验 P<0.0001），但与 FT 无此关系。在对 2 个亚组（至少有 1 颗乳牙的儿童和至少有 1 颗恒牙的儿童）的分析中，家庭吸烟暴露与 DFT 和 DT 的患病率增加相关，不仅在有乳牙的儿童中如此，在有恒牙的儿童中也是如此。
本研究结果表明，家庭吸烟可能与儿童龋齿患病率的增加有关。
