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Table 1 The frequency distribution of background variables
| Factors | Baseline (n = 649) | Followed- up (n = 415) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | ||
| Gendera | Boys | 319 | 49.2 | – | – |
| Girls | 330 | 50.8 | – | – | |
| Father’s education levela | College graduate or above | 81 | 12.5 | – | – |
| Senior secondary school (S4‑7) | 313 | 48.2 | – | – | |
| Junior Secondary school (S1‑3) | 167 | 25.7 | – | – | |
| Mother’s education levela | Below Secondary school | 88 | 13.6 | – | – |
| College graduate or above | 110 | 16.9 | – | – | |
| Senior secondary school (S4‑7) | 267 | 41.1 | – | – | |
| Junior Secondary school (S1‑3) | 184 | 28.4 | – | – | |
| Below Secondary school | 88 | 13.6 | – | – | |
| Student Dental Care Service/ Dental insurancea | Yes | 636 | 98.0 | – | – |
| No | 13 | 2.0 | – | – | |
| Monthly family income | >$40,000 | 96 | 14.8 | 81 | 19.5 |
| $30,000‑$40,000 | 65 | 10.0 | 42 | 10.1 | |
| $20,000‑$30,000 | 101 | 15.6 | 69 | 16.6 | |
| $10,000‑$20,000 | 226 | 34.8 | 165 | 39.8 | |
| <$10,000 | 161 | 24.8 | 58 | 14.0 | |
| Snacking frequency between meals | 3 times or more | 54 | 8.3 | 38 | 9.2 |
| Twice | 123 | 19.0 | 81 | 19.5 | |
| Once | 334 | 51.4 | 202 | 48.7 | |
| None | 138 | 21.3 | 94 | 22.7 | |
| Daily brushing frequency | Twice or more | 467 | 72.0 | 303 | 73.0 |
| Less than twice | 182 | 28.0 | 112 | 27.0 | |
| Both parents employed | Yes | 417 | 64.3 | 276 | 66.5 |
| No | 232 | 35.7 | 139 | 33.5 | |
| Maximum CPI | Healthy gum/ No bleeding or calculus | 89 | 13.7 | 44 | 10.6 |
| Bleeding on probing | 139 | 21.4 | 46 | 11.1 | |
| Calculus deposits | 421 | 64.9 | 325 | 78.3 | |
| DMFT | 0 | 446 | 68.7 | 193 | 46.5 |
| 1 | 109 | 16.8 | 67 | 16.1 | |
| 2 | 52 | 8.0 | 47 | 11.3 | |
| > 3 | 42 | 6.5 | 108 | 26.1 | |
| Mean (s.d.) | 0.55 | (1.01) | 1.70 | (2.34) | |
