Dietary Determinants of Dental Caries Prevalence and Experience in Saudi Schoolchildren: Frequency versus Quantity
Table 2
Logistic regression models showing the influence of frequency and quantity of consumption of dietary intake on caries prevalence.
Dietary items
Univariate OR (95% CI)
Multivariate OR (95% CI)
Frequency (≤once a week (ref) versus ≥daily)
Fruits
0.9 (0.72–1.11)
Biscuits
1.08 (0.89–1.33)
Chewing gum
1.25 (1.03–1.52)
1.15 (0.94–1.42)
Candies
1.25 (1.02–1.53)
1.08 (0.87–1.33)
Fruit juice
1.26 (1.02–1.55)
1.19 (0.96–1.49
Sports drinks
1.26 (0.74–2.24)
Energy drinks
1.88 (1.22–2.89)
1.37 (0.86–2.18)
Soft drinks
1.47 (1.21–1.79)
1.33 (1.07–1.65)
Tea/coffee
1.14 (0.95–1.38)
Sweetened milk
1.26 (1.03–1.54)
1.11 (0.90–1.38)
Quantity (≤299 ml/day (ref) versus >299 ml/day)
Fruit juice
0.91 (0.73–1.14)
Sports drinks
1 (0.56–1.78)
Energy drinks
1.91 (1.24–2.93)
1.55 (0.98–2.45)
Soft drinks
1.18 (0.98–1.43)
Tea/coffee
1.03 (0.79–1.36)
Sweetened milk
0.92 (0.68–1.25)
Frequency-quantity interaction
Fruit juice
1.01 (0.99–1.03)
Sports drinks
1.02 (0.97–1.06)
Energy drinks
1.08 (1.04–1.11)
1.06 (1.02–1.10)
Soft drinks
1.04 (1.02–1.06)
1.03 (1.01–1.04)
Tea/coffee
1.00 (0.98–1.02)
Sweetened milk
1.03 (1.01–1.05)
1.02 (1.00–1.05)
Statistically significant at . Frequency-quantity interaction models were based on six-item graded categorical variables. Factors included in the multivariate model are those showing a significant relationship in univariate models. The multivariate model is adjusted for demographics and oral health practices.
