Abstract
Objective: To analyze the association between Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and mother´s knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included a random sample of 163 preschool children aged 3-4 old in southern Brazil. The severity of dental caries and ECC was assessed by ICDAS criteria, while mothers completed the semi-structured questionnaire (KAP-ECC). Maternal behavior characteristics and answered questions about socioeconomic and demographic variables. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of exploratory variables with ECC. For this approach, we calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% IC). Results: Dental examinations revealed that 91.4% of children presented ECC (ICDAS = 3, 4, 5 or 6). Among those children, 31.9% presented cavities (ICDAS ≥ 3). Family income was significantly associated with the presence of ECC (OR 2.17; 95% CI: 1.41-3.36). Regarding KAP-ECC, mothers have knowledge related to ECC etiology, reported dental hygiene attitudes and practices that can prevent ECC but reported less healthy attitudes and practices regarding child’s diet, specifically with respect to bottle and breastfeeding habits (OR 0.52; 95% CI: 0.33-0.81). Conclusion: ECC was more frequent in children from low-income families and whose mothers reported the belief that milk with chocolate does not contribute to caries and that disagreed that it is normal that a 2-year-old baby wakes up during the night to suckle. That is, good knowledge toward health habits may impact on lower occurrence of ECC; however, this condition also depends on the socioeconomic level.
Highlights
The prevalence of caries has declined in recent years [1]; the apparent decline does not mean that this is no longer a public health problem
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) was more frequent in children from low-income families and whose mothers reported the belief that milk with chocolate does not contribute to caries and that disagreed that it is normal that a 2-year-old baby wakes up during the night to suckle
Good knowledge toward health habits may impact on lower occurrence of ECC; this condition depends on the socioeconomic level
Summary
The prevalence of caries has declined in recent years [1]; the apparent decline does not mean that this is no longer a public health problem. Dental caries is prevalent worldwide and is a public health problem in many countries [1,3,4], including Brazil [2,5]. The most recent epidemiological survey performed in Brazil reports that more than half of 5-year-old children have experience of early childhood caries (ECC) [5]. The presence of ECC has been associated with subjective aspects of health, such as oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL). The question that remains is if the mothers do know the ECC etiological factors and cannot establish preventive attitudes and practices or they do not know it
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