The life-course approach and dental health of pre-adolescents and the corresponding odds ratios were calculated. contribute to well-being, and to dental health in the In addition, Student t-test was applied. The context of the present study, with different patterns statistical significance was set at P<.05. among Turkish and Finnish pre-adolescents. Logistic regression analysis was then conducted Body height was used as a potential indicator of to determine the DMFT and its association with the long-term, cumulative effects of inadequacies health- and behavioural capital measures of pre- of health; weight was an indicator of malnutrition, adolescents, and family-related characteristics, revealing short- or long-term accumulation of after adjusting for gender and age. weight.27 Body height of Turkish and Finnish pre-adolescents was statistically significantly RESuLtS associated with DMFT, in common. This Mean DMFT for Finnish pre-adolescents association, as also found by Nicolau et al,5 speaks (0.74±1.57) was lower than that of their Turkish for understanding the impact of family-related counterparts (2.96±2.03) (P<.05). Turkish pre- disadvantages, either economic or social or both, adolescents were more dentally diseased (84%) on developmental patterns and dental health of than were the Finnish (33%), (P<.01) (Figure 1). the pre-adolescent over the whole life span. Table 1 shows the measures of health- A higher number of children in the family and behavioural capital and family-related reflects early-life socio-economic disadvantages characteristics. Mean body height and weight in the life-course-approach; as family size grows, of Finnish pre-adolescents were higher than human and material resources diminish.19 In the those of the Turkish (P=.01). High levels of self- present study, the Turkish pre-adolescents living esteem and tooth-brushing self-efficacy (above in families with a higher number of children were the median cut-off points) were reported at a more likely to have caries and shorter body height. similar percentage among Turkish and Finnish This has also been shown among adolescents.5 pre-adolescents (P>.05). Finnish pre-adolescents, Additionally, the negative correlation found compared to their Turkish counterparts, were between weight and number of children in the less likely to live in two-parent families (OR=0.22: family among the Turkish pre-adolescents may CI95% 0.14 -0.36), (P=.001) and spent less time result from the contribution of low socio-economic with their mothers (P<.05). status to consumption of food inadequate in Body height and weight of Turkish pre- nutrition, as suggested earlier.28,29 adolescents were inversely correlated with Finnish pre-adolescents with high levels number of children in the family (rp=-0.154, rp=- of caries were more likely to have lower body 0.216, P<.01). Turkish pre-adolescents with high height and higher weight, to come from single- levels of self-esteem were more likely to spend parent families, and to spend less time with the time with their mothers (P<.05) and less likely to mother. Finnish adolescents living in single- live in families with three or more children (28%) parent families, a situation increasing in Finland, than were their counterparts with low levels of are more likely to be at increased risk for health self-esteem (41%) (OR=0.57: CI95%=0.16-0.82), problems,28 and financial difficulties.31 They are (P=.002). Such associations were not evident among Finnish pre-adolescents (P>.05). Health capital, in terms of body height, and family-related characteristics in differing patterns, contributed to DMFT, in common, among Turkish and Finnish pre-adolescents (P<.05). Self-esteem, behavioural capital was explanatory variable for DMFT only for the Turks (Table 2). 156 dISCuSSIoN Findings of the present study supported the life-course approach that health- and behavioural capital, along with family-related characteristics European Journal of Dentistry Figure 1. Distribution of dentally diseased (DMFT> 0) Turkish (n=459) and Finnish (n=155) pre-adolescents by age and gender.