Prevalence of Dental Caries and its Association with Dietary Habits in Young Adults
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Abstract
Introduction: A prevalent oral health issue, especially among young adults, is dental caries. The intake of sugary snacks and beverages by young people at Jinnah Medical and Dental College in Karachi was the main focus of this study, which assessed the prevalence of dental caries and its relationship to dietary practices.
Methodology: 187 people between the ages of 18 and 25 participated in a 12-month cross-sectional survey. The DMFT index was used to measure dental caries, and structured questionnaires were used to analyze eating habits. Multivariate logistic regression, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and chi-square tests were all used in the statistical study.
Results: The mean DMFT score was 3.42 ± 1.8, and 69% of people had dental caries. Consumption of sugary snacks and DMFT score were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.45, p < 0.001), as was the intake of sugary beverages (r = 0.39, p < 0.001), according to “Pearson's correlation. Significant correlations between frequent sugar consumption” and the occurrence of caries were found by chi-square testing (p < 0.05). The probabilities of dental caries were shown to be enhanced by daily consumption of sugary snacks (OR = 3.12, 95% CI: 1.67–5.86, p = 0.001) and sugary beverages (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.45–4.58, p = 0.002), according to multivariate logistic regression.
Conclusion: Frequent consumption of sugary snacks and beverages is strongly associated with higher dental caries prevalence in young adults. Preventive strategies targeting dietary habits could reduce caries risk and improve oral health outcomes.
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