Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant health problem in New Zealand, affecting 38% of 5-year-olds in 2017 and disproportionately larger rates of Pacific and Māori children compared with other ethnicities. Several other health conditions, particularly respiratory tract diseases, such as asthma and middle ear infections, have been found to increase the risk of ECC, defined as the presence of ≥1 decayed (non-cavitated or cavitated lesions), missing (due to caries) or filled tooth surfaces, i.e. dmft (decayed, missing, filled, teeth) score of ≥1 in any primary tooth. These researchers sought to determine the association between ECC and wider issues of social inequities and environmental factors, by examining hospitalisation(s) for avoidable medical conditions, including injury-related admissions that occurred during the first 6 years of life in all 5-year-old children living in northern New Zealand (Northland and Auckland). All 27,333 children had received school entry dental examinations between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2015; 11,173 (40.9%) had ECC (dmft ≥1). ECC was more likely among children identifying as Māori or Pacific compared with European ethnicities and those living in Northland versus those living in Auckland, or who were living in areas without community water fluoridation and in the most deprived neighbourhoods, compared with children living in areas where the community water supply is fluoridated and in the least deprived neighbourhoods. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between ECC and injury-related hospital admissions (adjusted OR 1.17; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.27), but not with admissions for other medical and respiratory conditions.
