Prevalence of Untreated Early Childhood Caries of 5-Year-Old Children in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Faith Miaomiao Zheng,Sherry Shiqian Gao,Duangporn Duangthip,Iliana Gehui Yan,Edward Chin Man Lo,Chun Hung Chu

doi:10.3390/ijerph182211934

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey investigated untreated early childhood caries (ECC) and its associated factors among 5-year-old children in Hong Kong. Children were recruited using a multistage sampling method. One dentist examined the children in kindergarten to diagnose untreated ECC (dt) at the cavitation level. Each child’s demographic information, snacking behaviour, and oral health-related practice were collected using a parental questionnaire. The relationships between the untreated ECC and demographic information, snacking behaviours, and oral health-–related practice were analysed by zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression analysis. This survey recruited 404 children. Their dt score was 2.8 ± 3.8. The significant untreated ECC (SiUC) index, which was one-third of the children with the highest dt score, was 7.1 ± 3.6. Their untreated ECC prevalence was 57%, which was associated with the district the child lived in. Most children with untreated ECC (71%, 164/231) had never visited a dentist. Children who brushed without toothpaste had more untreated ECC. Children coming from low-income families and with a lower maternal education level had a higher risk of ECC. In conclusion, untreated ECC was prevalent and unevenly distributed among 5-year-old children in Hong Kong. Its prevalence was associated with toothpaste use, family income, maternal education level and the district they lived in.

Highlights

Dental caries or early childhood caries (ECC) is a common oral disease in preschool children worldwide [1]
In the zero-inflated model, among children from a family with a monthly income over HK 30,000, we found that the chance of having ‘no untreated ECC’ was 3.455 times as likely (p = 0.003, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.524, 7.830) compared to those from a family with a monthly income below HK 15,000
This study collected the data of untreated ECC among 5-year-old preschool children to monitor the dental outreach service, which is offered free of charge to all kindergartens in Hong Kong

Summary

Introduction

Dental caries or early childhood caries (ECC) is a common oral disease in preschool children worldwide [1]. The American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry defined ECC as the presence of one or more decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in children 71 months of age or younger [2]. The aetiological factors of EEC include frequent sugar consumption in an environment of enamel adherent bacteria and the mechanism of sustained acid production and resulting demineralization of teeth structures [3]. The prevalence of ECC is the result of a variety of factors such as culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, dietary pattern, and oral hygiene practice. Association of Paediatric Dentistry in 2018 showed that the overall ECC prevalence of. More than 530 million children worldwide had ECC in their primary teeth, and most ECC cases remain untreated [5]

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