Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in Children Aged 1 to 5 Years in the City of Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

Background: Early childhood caries is an aggressive pathology that can destroy the teeth in a short time, reaching the proximal surfaces, causing discomfort, pain and affecting the dental pulp, causing premature loss of deciduous teeth. Objective: The purpose of this research is to determine the prevalence of early childhood caries in children aged 1 to 5 years of the Metropolitan District of Quito. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including a sample of 557 children attending child care centers in Quito, Ecuador, between May and July 2018. The sample was evaluated clinically registering the data in a simplified dental file containing the odontogram and the result of decayed, lost and sealed teeth, according to the dmft index, as well as data such as age and gender. Data were tabulated and analyzed statistically by independent t-test. Results: The prevalence of early childhood caries was found to be 59.61%. Children affected by early childhood caries presented a mean age of 2.83 years, the ones suffered the most from this pathology were those of 2 years (35.54%), followed by those of 3 years (34.94%) and 4 years (22.5%). Boys presented more early childhood caries (53.92%) in relation to the girls (46.08%). Conclusion: The early childhood caries presented a prevalence of 59.61% and a general dmft index of medium level of severity according to the classification of the World Health Organization, in children from 1 to 5 years of age in Quito, Ecuador.