Abstract:

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the factors that cause tooth loss in children. Tools and Methods: In the study between 5 and 13 years of age, 189 patients were included. The research’s dependent variable is tooth fractures, independent variables; gender, mother’s educational level, sugar food consumption in the meals, the frequency of toothbrushing, the sweetness of foods in childhood, sperm flow rate, pH, calcium (Ca) and inorganic phosphate (PO4) values. Patients were grouped in Group1 (5 to 7 years old), Group2 (8 to 10 years old) and Group3 (11 to 13 years old). The presence of tooth dirt was grouped as dirty (zero dirt), little dirty (1 - 5 teeth) and very dirty (6 and above teeth). Taking unestimated sputum samples from patients, sputum flow ratio, pH, Ca and PO4 values were measured. The meaning level p<0.05 was accepted. Results: 48.7% of patients were girls and 51.3% were men. There was no statistical difference between the number of damaged teeth, sputum flow rate, pH, Ca and PO4 values. As the number of sputum increased at all ages, the sputum flow rate, the pH, Ca, PO4 values were significantly decreasing (p<0,05). The increase in the frequency of brushing and the mother’s educational level significantly reduced the number of dirty teeth, the habit of eating sugar in the meals increased the sweetening of their foods as a baby (p<0,001). When compared the sputum flow rates, pH, Ca, and PO4 values of children in Groups I, II and III, the values of the very fragile groups were found significantly lower compared to the sputum. The result: Low sputum flow rates, pH, Ca and PO4 values in children are effective in the formation of tooth fractures. The mother’s education, the frequency of toothbrushing, the frequent consumption of sweet food and the sweetening of food as a baby also influence the formation of tooth fractures.

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