{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,2]],"date-time":"2026-05-02T13:20:03Z","timestamp":1777728003936,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,1]],"date-time":"2025-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759276800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,1]],"date-time":"2025-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759276800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Int Med Res"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We aimed to determine the prevalence of dental caries and its associated factors among primary school children in Tunisia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional study was conducted among children enrolled in primary schools in Sousse, Tunisia, in April 2022. A systematic random sampling technique was used. A structured questionnaire and medical records were used to collect data. A multivariate analysis was performed using binary logistic regression to identify factors independently associated with dental caries.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      In total, 376 children were included. The prevalence of dental caries was 43.9%. Based on a bivariate analysis, many factors were associated with dental caries, such as children from public schools (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), lack of tooth brushing (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), tooth brushing only 1 time per day (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), unhealthy eating habits (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009\u2264\u20090.05), and overweight body mass index (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.016). In multivariate analysis, risk factors for dental caries were age and eating after brushing in the evening, whereas protective factors included frequent tooth brushing and regular toothbrush replacement.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We recommend organizing awareness days in schools, implementing programs on preventive measures against dental caries, and expanding screening campaigns.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/03000605251383293","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,21]],"date-time":"2025-10-21T14:43:45Z","timestamp":1761057825000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Prevalence of tooth decay and related factors among primary school children in central\u2013eastern Tunisia: A cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"53","author":[{"given":"Hela","family":"Ghali","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Sahloul University Hospital, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7041-0249","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amani","family":"Maatouk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital Fattouma Bourguiba of Monastir, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Syrine","family":"Souai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Higher School of Health Sciences and Techniques of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sana","family":"Bhiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Sahloul University Hospital, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fatima Ezzahra","family":"Khouya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Henda","family":"Selmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Higher School of Health Sciences and Techniques of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Khissal","family":"Youssef","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Higher School of Health Sciences and Techniques of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Salwa","family":"Khefacha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Sahloul University Hospital, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mohamed","family":"Ben Rejeb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Sahloul University Hospital, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Asma","family":"Ben Cheikh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Sahloul University Hospital, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Houyem","family":"Said Latiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Sahloul University Hospital, Tunisia"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Tunisia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_7_2_2","unstructured":"World Health Organization. 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