Socio-Economic Patterns of Children’s Dental Caries in Calgary, Canada
McLarenEmail, L., McNeil, D. A., Potestio, M., Patterson, S., Thawer, S., Faris, P., et al. (2016). Equity in children’s dental caries before and after cessation of community water fluoridation: differential impact by dental insurance status and geographic material deprivation. International Journal for Equity in Health.
This peer-reviewed article details an observational study and specifically a longitudinal study given the two correlational research studies that involved repeated observations of the same variables used in the previous study after a long period (Rosenbaum, 2012). The study revolved around the focal arguments made courtesy of fluoridation of community water as impartial in its effect on tooth decay. According to McLarenEmail, et al.(2016), themain reason behind this study was to relate the socio-economic patterns of children’s tooth decay in Calgary, Canada that took place at the inception of fluoridation of the community water in the borough in between 2009 and 2010. The second observational study was conducted in between 2013 and 2014 during which the fluoridation project in the area had been stopped.
It should be noted that the outcome variables that were used for examination involved both deft index and the DMFT index (McLarenEmail, et al., 2016). Data analysis involved data collected from population-based samples of grade 2 children both between 2009 and 2010 and between 2013 and 2014. McLarenEmail, et al. (2016) reveal that the collection of data on tooth decay was done through open mouth examination among schoolchildren by competent and registered dental hygienists. The researchers then examined the link between tooth decay and the presence or absence of dental insurance as well as small area index of material deprivation by use of zero-inflated and logistic regression in all study periods. The researchers calculated the concentration index of inequality for each outcome variable in small-area material deprivation during the two different observational studies (McLarenEmail, et al., 2016).
According to McLarenEmail, et al.(2016), the researchers found that, there were more apparent statistically substantial inequalities by dental cover status and by small area material deficiency in the study period of 2013 and 2014 compared to the observational study of period of 2009 and 2010.Therefore, the results showed high consistency in relation to the augmenting inequalities in tooth decay after stopping the fluoridation the community water. Nevertheless, the article suggest that advanced research is necessary in a bid to approve the impact in a research that incorporates a different community and seek other possible alternatives behind the study results not forgetting variability in diagnostic and deterrent projects(McLarenEmail, et al., 2016).
With regard to how the research was conducted, it is evident that there were no cases of prejudice especially in relating the study findings with the observations that were made as well as in choosing the study sample from the population under study. In relation to dental public health, the relevance of the study relates to the fluoridation of water as an effective way to reduce dental caries in communities. Therefore, policy makers in conjunction with the relevant authorities should work hand in hand to ensure fluoridation as a control measure against tooth decay especially among schoolchildren (Pizzo, Piscopo, Pizzo, & Giuliana, 2007). Future study on the effects of ending of water fluoridation on dental health ought to warrant high-quality personal-level data in relation to socio-economic conditions before and after ceasing water fluoridation.
References
McLarenEmail, L., McNeil, D. A., Potestio, M., Patterson, S., Thawer, S., Faris, P., et al. (2016). Equity in children’s dental caries before and after cessation of community water fluoridation: differential impact by dental insurance status and geographic material deprivation. International Journal for Equity in Health.
Pizzo, G., Piscopo, M. R., Pizzo, I., & Giuliana, G. (2007). Community water fluoridation and caries prevention: a critical review. Clinical Oral Investigations , 189-193.
Rosenbaum, P. R. (2012). Design of Observational Studies. New York: Springer.