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Table 6 Dental erosion and tooth wear according to oral health related behaviors. Unadjusted a Chi square and adjusted multiple variable logistic regression analyses

From: Oral diseases and oral health related behaviors in adolescents living in Maasai population areas of Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

Dependent variable

Independent variables

Unadjusted analysis % (n)

Adjusted OR (95% CI)a

Dental erosion (grade 1–4)

Frequency of drinking carbonated soft drinks

 Low(≤ once per week)

23.1 (139)

1

 High (≥ twice per week)

44.3 (135)*

1.6 (1.1–2.5)

Frequency of drinking fruit drink

 Low(≤ once per week)

24.0 (149)

1

 High (≥ twice per week)

44.0 (125)*

1.5 (1.0–2.2)

Frequency of drinking milk from cows

 Low (≤1per week)

35.8 (58)

1

 High (≥2 per week or daily)

29.0 (216)*

0.7 (0.5–1.0)

Eating meat

 Low (≤1per week)

25.3 (127)

1

 High (≥2 per week or daily)

36.4 (147)*

1.3 (0.9–2.0)

Frequency of cleaning teeth

 Low (≤1per week)

19.7 (44)

1

 High (≥2 per week or daily)

33.7 (230)*

1.7 (1.1–2.6)

Frequency of using tooth paste

 Low(≤ once per week)

25.5 (144)

1

 High (≥ 2x per week)

38.1 (130)*

1.1 (0.7–1.8)

Tooth wear (Grade 1–4)

Frequency of drinking carbonated soft drinks

 Low(≤ once per week)

46.3 (278)

 

 High (≥ twice per week)

45.6 (139)

 

Frequency of drinking fruit drink

 Low(≤ once per week)

46.9 (292)

 

 High (≥ twice per week)

44.0 (125)

 

Frequency of drinking milk from cows

 Low (≤1per week)

50.0 (81)

 

 High (≥2 per week or daily)

45.2 (336)

 

Frequency of cleaning teeth

 Low (≤1per week)

51.1 (114)

1

 High (≥2 per week or daily)

44.4 (303)*

0.8 (0.6–1.1)

Type of cleaning instrument

 Chewing stick

50.9 (217)

1

 Plastic

40.7 (173)*

0.6 (0.4–0.8)

Frequency of using tooth paste

 Low(≤ once per week)

46.5 (263)

 

 High (≥ 2x per week)

45.2 (154)

 

Uses teeth for nail biting

 No

35.8 (178)

1

 Yes

58.4 (239)*

1.9 (1.4–2.4)

Uses teeth for pen/pencil biting

 No

41.4 (218)

1

 Yes

52.4 (199)*

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

Uses teeth for opening soda

 No

35.9 (157)*

1

 Yes

55.4 (260)

1.8 (1.4–2.4)

Uses teeth for holding needles

 No

38.1 (200)

1

 Yes

57.0 (217)*

1.6 (1.3–2.1)

Uses teeth for chewing sunflower seeds

 No

42.6 (221)*

1

 Yes

50.6 (196)

1.0 (0.8–1.3)

  1. *Significant Pearson Chi-square test (p < 0.05)
  2. a Multiple variable logistic regression analyses were adjusted for ethnicity, maternal education and wealth index