Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of early childhood caries and its association with Child's Programmatic Action dental visits in a Primary Care Service. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out at the Health Centers of the Grupo HospitalarConceicao Community Health Service in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Mothers answered a questionnaire containing socioeconomic data, eating habits and oral care of their children. Caries examination was performed by two examiners calibrated using WHO criteria. Results: Eighty-one children with mean age of 58.8 (SD=4.8) months were evaluated, 58% were male. Caries prevalence was 43%, with mean dmft = 1.7 and mean dmfs = 3.09. In the multivariate analysis, there was a statistically significant association of caries with maternal schooling (PR=1.31, 95%CI=1.06-1.62, p=0.012), family income (PR=0.93, 95% CI=0.90-0.97, p<0.001), adequacy of the number of childcare visits (PR=0.68, 95%CI=0.54–0.86, p=0.001) and number of visits to the dentist (PR=1.04, 95%CI=1.01-1.06, p=0.001). Conclusion: Ensuring access to childcare and early dental consultation, while the family context is disregarded, does not seem to be enough to reduce caries. It is necessary to think of non-conventional oral health promotion strategies in Primary Health Care taking into account the territory and social determinants since changes to eating and oral hygiene habits and behaviors are still a challenge to the control of childhood caries.
Highlights
Childhood Caries (ECC) is given this designation because it affects children under age six, and when it affects those under age three, it is called Severe Early Childhood Caries (SECC) [1]
It is necessary to think of non-conventional oral health promotion strategies in Primary Health Care taking into account the territory and social determinants since changes to eating and oral hygiene habits and behaviors are still a challenge to the control of childhood caries
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is given this designation because it affects children under age six, and when it affects those under age three, it is called Severe Early Childhood Caries (SECC) [1]
Summary
Childhood Caries (ECC) is given this designation because it affects children under age six, and when it affects those under age three, it is called Severe Early Childhood Caries (SECC) [1]. When affecting this age group, the disease manifests itself aggressively, causing the mutilation of children by destroying completely and quickly their teeth, resulting in discomfort, pain, infection, and abscesses; a clinical condition that can impair healthy growth, development and quality of life. The numbers indicate that early childhood caries prevention and treatment is still necessary
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