Introduction
This study’s purpose is to determine whether nonconsumption of tap water is associated
with lower prevalence of elevated blood lead levels and higher prevalence of dental
caries in children and adolescents.
Methods
Cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2014
recorded drinking water source (n=15,604) and blood lead levels (n=12,373) for participants aged 2–19 years, and dental caries experience for the 2011–2014
subset (n=5,677). The threshold for elevated blood lead level was ≥3 μg/dL. A binary outcome
indicated presence or absence of dental caries experience. Multivariable generalized
linear models estimated adjusted prevalence ratios with 95% confidence limits.
Results
In analysis conducted in 2017, 15% of children and adolescents did not drink tap water,
3% had elevated blood lead levels ≥3 μg/dL, and 50% had dental caries experience.
Children and adolescents who did not drink water were less likely than tap water drinkers
to have an elevated blood lead level (adjusted prevalence ratios=0.62, 95% confidence
limits=0.42, 0.90). Nonconsumers of tap water were more likely to have dental caries
(adjusted prevalence ratios=1.13, 95% confidence limits=1.03, 1.23). Results persisted
after adjustment for other covariates and using a higher threshold for elevated blood
lead level.
Conclusions
In this nationally representative U.S. survey, children and adolescents who did not
drink tap water had lower prevalence of elevated blood lead levels and higher prevalence
of dental caries than those who drank tap water.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 27, 2017
Identification
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© 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
