Association between Insufficient Sleep and Dental Caries among Preschoolers in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Multicentre Study

Abstract

Recently, sleeping status has attracted attention for its relationship with oral health. In the present study, we have investigated the association between early childhood caries and sleeping status. A multicentre observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 332 preschoolers (aged 3–6 years) and their parents in Chitose, Japan. Dental caries and sleeping status were assessed in the children and the sleep quality and health literacy of the parents were also assessed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used in order to investigate the effect of the sleeping status of the parents and their children on dental caries. Among the children, the prevalence of dental caries experience was 12.7%. The children without caries slept significantly longer and their parents had a better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score than those with caries experience. The sleeping status and the numbers of caries in the children were significantly correlated. Health literacy was better in those without caries experience. Parents’ PSQI was significantly positively correlated with the numbers of caries in the children (r = 0.19, p = 0.0004). The children’s sleep durations, screen time, and parental smoking status were independently associated with early childhood caries. Poor sleeping status of children and their parents is related to dental caries among preschoolers.

Sleep and its association with dental caries or myopia in first graders

“…Sleep duration of fewer than 9 h was a significant risk factor of children with dental caries. This result was consistent with another Japanese study conducted in children aged 3–6 (Ogawa et al., 2021), and can be supported by biological and behavioural evidence. First, a decrease in the bacteria clearance rate during sleep increases the number of bacteria, and thus contributes to the risk of dental caries (Arvidsson et al., 2015; Edgar et al., 2012).…”

Household food insecurity and associated factors in the Northeast of Iran: a cross-sectional study

“…According to the FAO, about two billion people around the world are dealing with moderate or severe food insecurity [ 23 ]. Food insecurity affects developing and developed countries and could be as low as about 10% in the USA to as high as 100% in Sudan [ 23 , 24 ]. The prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity worldwide has increased slightly from 22.6 to 26.6% from 2014 to 2019.…”

“…For example, the majority of food insecurity in different parts of Iran was as 37.8% in Tehran, 34.3% in Kerman, 58.8% in Zahedan, and 50.7% in rural areas of Gilan [19][20][21][22]. According to the FAO, about two billion people around the world are dealing with moderate or severe food insecurity [23]. Food insecurity affects developing and developed countries and could be as low as about 10% in the USA to as high as 100% in Sudan [23,24].…”

Effect of sleep on development of early childhood caries: a systematic review

“…Sleep duration was evaluated in two studies; one (Nishide et al 2019) did not find any significant correlation (p = 0.094), whereas the other study (Zhou et al 2019) found significantly lower caries prevalence in children who sleep for longer hours. Ogawa et al (2021) found that the sleep durations [adjusted odds ratio = 0.54 (95% CI 0.36-0.80), p = 0.0012] were found to be independently associated with the development of dental caries in the children in multivariable statistical analysis.…”

“…Four studies (Nishide et al 2019;Zhou et al 2019;Kitsaras e al. 2018;Ogawa et al 2021) covering 2011 preschool children that evaluated the effect of sleep on ECC were included. All the four studies used a questionnaire to assess sleep in preschool children; the characteristics of the studies are presented in Table 2.…”