Incidence Of Early Childhood Caries Research Articles

Polish pregnant women's knowledge on early childhood caries prevention and oral hygiene in children.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most common chronic diseases among children. In Poland 86.9% of six-year-olds have ECC. One of the factors determining adherence to ECC prophylaxis and oral hygiene is mothers' knowledge. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge demonstrated by pregnant women about ECC prevention and oral hygiene, and to analyse the determinants of this knowledge. A quantitative survey was conducted using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview technique on a randomly selected representative sample of 1,000 women over the age of 18 in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The significance level was established at 0.05 and p-values were presented as: p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001. The highest percentage of wrong or "I don't know" answers were related to questions about: the number of free dental check-ups for children (76.8%), the date of the child's first visit to the dentist (66.5%), the age when the child has mixed dentition (72.2%). Women with higher education had better knowledge than women with lower or secondary education. Women with good and very good financial situation showed a higher level of knowledge compared to women with average, bad and very bad financial situation. When developing prevention strategies and educational programs as part of prenatal care for women to reduce the incidence of ECC, it is important to take into account the identified areas that need support and specific target groups (mothers with lower socioeconomic status).

Maternal Oral Health Education for Predicting Early Childhood Caries among Preschool Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a pressing public health issue in preschool-aged children. Preventive guidelines have not significantly reduced ECC incidence. Maternal education programmes have been proposed as interventions, but systematic reviews on their effectiveness are scarce. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of oral health education programmes for mothers in preventing ECC. Materials and Methods: Eight eligible Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) were identified through searches in the Cochrane Oral Health Group’s Trial Register, PubMed, and Google Scholar, as well as manual review of references from Englishonly studies. The interventions targeted mothers starting from 12 weeks of pregnancy onwards, with the exclusion of treatment-based methods, pharmacological interventions, and post-pregnancy programmes. The primary outcome assessed was ECC incidence, analysed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Participants exclusively received oral health educational programmes designed to prevent ECC in their children, highlighting the importance of early preventive measures during pregnancy. Results: Global studies varied in interventions and outcomes. A study from Brazil showed no reduction in ECC, while a study from Uganda reported reduced dental caries. Another study from Australia demonstrated a significant reduction in severe ECC. Risk of bias analysis revealed that five studies had a low risk of bias while one study had an unclear risk of bias. Moderate risk of bias was found in one study. Conclusion: Evidence suggests a positive impact of maternal education on ECC prevention, supporting tailored programmes for mothers with lower education. The overall recommendation strength is modest due to intervention variations and limited trials. Tailored educational programmes for mothers, especially those with lower education levels, should be integrated into maternal and child health services to effectively address social determinants of oral health.

Bacterial Community Modifies Host Genetics Effect on Early Childhood Caries

By age 5, approximately one-fifth of children have early childhood caries (ECC). Both the oral microbiome and host genetics are thought to influence susceptibility. Whether the oral microbiome modifies genetic susceptibility to ECC has not been tested. We test whether the salivary bacteriome modifies the association of a polygenic score (PGS, a score derived from genomic data that summarizes genetic susceptibility to disease) for primary tooth decay on ECC in the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia 2 longitudinal birth cohort. Children were genotyped using the Illumina Multi-Ethnic Genotyping Array and underwent annual dental examinations. We constructed a PGS for primary tooth decay using weights from an independent, genome-wide association meta-analysis. Using Poisson regression, we tested for associations between the PGS (high versus low) and ECC incidence, adjusting for demographic characteristics (n = 783). An incidence-density sampled subset of the cohort (n = 138) had salivary bacteriome data at 24 mo of age. We tested for effect modification of the PGS on ECC case status by salivary bacterial community state type (CST). By 60 mo, 20.69% of children had ECC. High PGS was not associated with an increased rate of ECC (incidence rate ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–1.42). However, having a cariogenic salivary bacterial CST at 24 mo was associated with ECC (odds ratio [OR], 7.48; 95% CI, 3.06–18.26), which was robust to PGS adjustment. An interaction existed between the salivary bacterial CST and the PGS on the multiplicative scale (P = 0.04). The PGS was associated with ECC (OR, 4.83; 95% CI, 1.29–18.17) only among individuals with a noncariogenic salivary bacterial CST (n = 70). Genetic causes of caries may be harder to detect when not accounting for cariogenic oral microbiomes. As certain salivary bacterial CSTs increased ECC risk across genetic risk strata, preventing colonization of cariogenic microbiomes would be universally beneficial.

The Efficacy and Safety of Dietary Counseling in Prevention and Treatment of Dental Caries in Children

Dental caries is a multifactorial disease influenced by various factors, including diet, oral hygiene practices, and genetic predisposition. Preventive strategies are crucial in the pediatric population. Early intervention and prevention are key to mitigating the burden of dental caries. Energy needs are higher in early childhood, necessitating more frequent meals. Dietary counseling aims to modify behaviors and promote healthy choices to reduce caries risk. The United States Dietary Guidelines provide recommendations for promoting health and preventing disease. Dietary Reference Intakes specify nutrient requirements based on age and gender. Dietary counseling plays a valuable role in promoting oral health and preventing dental caries. Studies show a clear link between sugar intake and tooth decay. Dietary modifications, such as reducing sugary beverage consumption, can be implemented gradually to ensure compliance. Effective counseling interventions have shown reductions in early childhood caries incidence. However, challenges remain in encouraging healthy eating habits. Preventive educational initiatives for new mothers have been successful in reducing caries prevalence. The prenatal period is critical for oral health, and pregnant women should be educated about a healthy diet. Adequate nutrition in the first year of life is essential, and breastfeeding is encouraged. Introducing sugar early can lead to a preference for high-sugar foods. Caregivers should promote healthy meal and snack patterns. From ages one to five, nutritious foods should be provided, and high-sugar foods limited to mealtimes. By addressing these considerations, dental professionals can contribute to preventing dental caries in children

Evaluation of parents’ knowledge and attitudes about early childhood caries

Aim: Tooth decay is the world’s most common bacterial infection. Despite the existence of practices for preventing dental caries, early childhood caries (ECC) continue to be a health problem of global concern. The incidence of ECC may vary between societies depending on their cultural habits regarding infant feeding. This study aimed to evaluate parents’ attitudes about early childhood caries, to determine their ECC-causing misbehaviors, and to evaluate their knowledge about prevention and preventive treatments. Methodology: The study was conducted among 150 participants and consisted of a cross-sectional survey tailored to the parents who applied to the clinic. Participation was completely voluntary, and parents who submitted a fully completed questionnaire and volunteered to participate in the study were included, whereas parents who did not wish to participate, did not answer at least one question, or were illiterate were excluded. Results: 67.3% of the parents participating in the study were female (n=101) and 32.7% were male (n=49). In answering “yes” to the proposition “the bacteria that cause caries can be passed from mother/caregiver to child,” 36.7% of participants demonstrated correct knowledge of this matter. 42.7% of the participants believed that “the first sign of dental caries is white spots on the tooth surface.” In answering yes to the proposition “if early childhood caries is not treated, it can affect the general health and development of the child,” 79.3% demonstrated correct knowledge of this matter. Conclusion: ECC’s risk determinants should be identified as early as possible, and the most appropriate preventive measures should be implemented rapidly with accurate information and on-site interventions. How to cite this article: Abaklı İnci M, Özer H, Açar Tuzluca S. Evaluation of parents’ knowledge and attitudes about early childhood caries. Int Dent Res 2022;12(Suppl.1):50-8. https://doi.org/10.5577/intdentres.446 Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.

The search for a healthy sugar substitute in aid to lower the incidence of Early Childhood Caries: a comparison of sucrose, xylitol, erythritol and stevia

A pursuit to find a healthy alternative to sucrose with less cariogenic potential, which can potentially lower the incidence of Early Childhood Caries (ECC), by means of comparison. Primary tooth enamel blocks (n=32) were randomly divided into four groups and exposed to 5% concentrations of the respective test groups (sucrose, xylitol, erythritol and stevia). All samples were inoculated with S. mutans standard strain (ATCC 25175) at room temperature. Analysis of Colony Forming Units (CFUs), acidity measurements (pH) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations were done after 6, 12, 18 and 24 h and compared. After 6 h, the marginal mean CFU count indicated equal S. mutans growth in all groups. Stevia showed lower CFU counts compared to other groups at 12, 18 and 24 h. The pH levels for all non-fermentable sugar substitutes (NSS) initially decreased but never below the critical pH=5.5 and stabilized from 12 to 18 h. The pH levels of sucrose dropped and remained below pH=5.5 at all time intervals. The SEM analysis of S. mutans supported the CFU results indicating growth in the presence of sucrose and reduction in the presence of the NSS.Compared to sucrose, xylitol, erythritol and stevia have less cariogenic potential with reduced growth of S. mutans and subsequent acidity levels. Stevia had the least cariogenic potential of all the NSS tested, followed by erythritol and then xylitol.

The Relationship between Eating Behavior and Early Childhood Caries in Children

BACKGROUND: Eating process in children is not only to fulfill hunger but also to fulfill the nutritional needs of children’s growth and development. Eating disorders can cause health problems for children, including dental and oral health. Poor oral and dental health in children can affect self-confidence, chewing ability, and nutritional fulfillment. Nowadays, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the most common hard tissue disease in primary teeth that affects children. AIM: This study aims to determine the relationship between eating behavior and ECC in children. METHODS: This research is an observational study with a cross-sectional design. Sampling was done by purposive sampling with a total sample of 165 children aged 3–5 years old and their mothers. The Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) was used to measure the eight eating types of children. ECC is measured by def-t index. Data analysis was done using Chi-square test. RESULTS: The prevalence of ECC was 47.9%. There was a significant relationship between food responsiveness (p = 0.001; OR = 3.235; 95% CI 1.648–6.341), food fussiness (p = 0.010; OR = 2.380; 95% CI 1.273–4.450), and enjoyment of food (p = 0.005; OR = 0.377; 95% CI 0.198–0.72) with the incidence of ECC. However, Emotional over Eating, Desire to Drink, Satiety Responsiveness, Emotional under Eating, and Slowness in Eating were not associated with the incidence of ECC. CONCLUSION: Children’s eating behavior contributes to the incidence of ECC.

Early childhood caries management using fluoride varnish and neutral fluoride gel: a randomized clinical trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of varnish and neutral fluoride gel in the management of early childhood caries (ECC). A randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare two strategies for ECC management: topical application of neutral fluoride gel (NFG group) and varnish (FV group) every four months for a period of one year. The sample consisted of children between the ages of three and four years, enrolled in public daycare centers. The incidence of ECC between the groups was compared by assessing values (new dmfs) at two levels: d2 when enamel/dentin were affected and d3 when dentin affected. Pearson's Chi-square, Fisher's Exact, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the incidence and increment of caries between the NFG and FV groups (p<0.05). A total of 240 children were included in this study and 213 children (88.7%) were followed up for 12 months. The incidence of ECC was 24.1% in the GF and 21.0% in the FV groups (p=0.586). The increment of caries in d2mfs was 1.36 (95% CI = 0.83 - 1.89) in the NFG and 1.33 (95% CI = 0.75 - 1.89) in FV (p=0.756) groups. Increment of caries in d3mfs was 1.60 (95% CI = 0.95 - 2.25) in NFG and 1.40 (95% CI = 0.75 - 2.04) in FV (p=0.468). Neutral fluoride gel and fluoride varnish exhibited similar efficacy in the management of ECC after 12 months of follow-up.

Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in a paediatric italian population: An epidemiological study.

The present work aims to evaluate, through an epidemiological study, the prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in an Italian paediatric population, aged up to 71 months, evaluating some determinants that will be illustrated in this study in order to adopt preventive care and intervene as early as possible to limit the development of this disease. The sample consisted of 76 children aged up to 71 months who were examined at the PAediatric Dentistry Clinic of the University of l'Aquila. Parents were informed of the research that was taking place. All read the information sheet explaining the study and signed the informed consent where it was emphasised that the data collected would be treated and stored in a strictly confidential manner, pursuant to the Legislative Decree 196/2003 in force in Italy since June 30, 2003, regarding the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data. At the end of this study, a standardised questionnaire administered. The questionnaire, divided into two parts, made it possible to acquire information regarding the characteristics of the population. First part: General data of the child and the medical history of the mother and father; Second part: The age and gender of the child, the type and duration of breastfeeding, the use of sugary pacifiers, oral hygiene and frequency of consumption of sugars drinks and food, identifying the starting age. Evaluating the dmft of each child, 40.79% of our sample population is affected by ECC; 57.89% of the children used the pacifier and 13,16% of them have or have used it with honey with a p value of 0.001, therefore this parameter was statistically significant, together with the intake of candies, chocolates and sugar drinks. The data was collected for a period of about 12 months, consequently a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted in which the characteristics of the population under consideration were outlined. Discrete and nominal variables have been described with frequencies and percentages. The percentage differences were evaluated using the chi-square test and the Fisher test. Quantitative variables were expressed in terms of mean and standard deviation and significance was assessed by the Mann-Whitney test. The level of significance was established as p <0.05. A Logistic Regression was conducted to evaluate the risk factors associated with a dmft>0 setting, dmft=0/dmft>0 as the dependent variable and the variables investigated as explanatory variables. The evaluation of the association was reported as the Odds Ratio with the 95% confidence interval. The statistical analysis was carried out using the Stata 12/1C statistical package. ECC is a multifactorial disease in which eating habits play a very important role. A diet that from childhood is characterised by a high consumption of sugar-rich food and drinks is highly associated with the incidence of ECC in later years.

Relation between Serum level of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D and early childhood caries.

Objective: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) considers a multifactorial disease. Vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus have a crucial role in mineralized tissue formation and mineralization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the serum level of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus, and ECC in healthy preschool children. Subject and methods: A 36 preschool children with age from 1 to 6 years old were selected for this clinical study. Enrolled children were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=18); group I; children with ECC, group II; children with caries-free. Clinical examination was carried out to assess decay, missing, filled teeth (dmft) caries index using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. 25-hydroxyvitamin D “25(OH)D”, calcium, and phosphorus in serum had been measured for all enrolled children. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, and chi-square test at a p Results: The results of this study showed a significant decrease in serum level of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus in children with ECC when compared to children with caries-free. However, the result of the dmft index revealed that the filled tooth due to caries showed a higher mean followed by decay and missing teeth. Conclusion: There is a relation between the deficiency in serum level of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus and the incidence of ECC.

The Prevalence and Pattern of Early Childhood Caries In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh- An Observational Study

Background: Dental caries is a disease of teeth that results due to demineralization and destruction of organic and inorganic components of oral cavity. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a serious dental problem that affects infants and toddlers.&#x0D; &#x0D; Aim: To evaluate the incidence of early childhood caries in children between 3-6 years in Bareilly city.&#x0D; &#x0D; Materials &amp; Method: This cross sectional study was conducted among 1000 preschool children, 536 male and 464 females between the age of 3-6 years in Bareilly city. They were examined for dmft and dmfs.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: Prevalence of ECC was 56.6% (566/1000). 57.1% males (n=306) were affected from ECC while 260 female subjects (56.0%) were found to be having ECC. Out of the total teeth evaluated, 2170 (94.84%) were decayed, 96 (4.19%) were missing and only 22 (1.0%) were filled. Mandibular posterior region was the most commonly affected teeth.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: The prevalence of ECC in children aged 3-6 in Bareilly district is approximately 57% which is independent of the sex. The occlusal surface of the posterior teeth is the most common site for ECC. Dietary habits of the child, oral hygiene methods employed by the children and educational status of the mother play an important role in the incidence of ECC.&#x0D;

Can probiotic supplements prevent early childhood caries? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this study was to explore the preventive effect of probiotic supplements on the development of early childhood caries (ECC). We searched the PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane databases up to January 15, 2021. The authors screened the hits independently for relevance, extracted outcome data and assessed the risk of bias. We performed a random effects meta-analysis to pool and compare the incidence of ECC in children assigned to test or placebo groups, respectively. The authors included nine randomised controlled trials published between 2001 and 2021, involving 2,363 preschool children. We assessed two publications with a moderate risk of bias and seven with high risk of bias. The median caries incidence in the probiotic test groups was 8.5% compared with 17.5% in the placebo groups and this difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). A pooled random effects meta-analysis on caries incidence on subject level showed a small but statistically significant risk difference in favour of the probiotic intervention (-0.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.10, -0.00; P<0.05). The mean difference in caries increment on tooth/surface level was -0.57, (95% CI -0.91, -0.23; P<0.01). In conclusion, we demonstrated a small but statistically significant preventive effect of probiotic supplements on ECC. However, the certainty of this finding was low due to the risk of bias, heterogeneity and inconsistencies across the studies. Further long-term randomised controlled trials with low risk of bias are required in order to answer the research question with a higher certainty.

The Association Between Parenting Styles and Feeding Styles on Early Childhood Caries

Background: A parenting style (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) refers to a set of activities that parents perform to raise a child. A certain feeding style is influenced by a parenting style. The high intake of foods containing sugar without parental control can increase the incidence of early childhood caries (ECC). Objective: The Objective of this article is to analyze the association of parenting styles and feeding styles on the occurrence of ECC among children aged 3–5. Methods: The research was an analytical cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 105 pairs of mothers and children, selected through the purposive sampling technique in Yogyakarta. Type of parenting and feeding styles was obtained through questionnaires given to mothers, whereas intra-oral examination was used to detect the ECC in children using the decay-missing-filling-teeth (dmf-t) index. Data were collected and analyzed using multinominal logistic regression with a statistical significance at P < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of ECC and dmf-t among children with permissive parents was highest (63.84%; 7.51+5.97) when compared with those with authoritarian parents (26.21%; 3.09+4.23). Those with authoritative parents was lowest (9.95%; 1.17+1.65). Authoritative parenting is associated with less consumption of cariogenic foods and low occurrence of ECC (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Parenting styles have a direct association with feeding styles and ECC. Children with authoritative parents have a highest benefit on lowest risk of ECC when compared with other counterparts.

Relationship between preterm, low birth weight and early childhood caries: a meta-analysis of the case-control and cross-sectional study.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases in children. The effective prevention and treatment are heavy burdens and study hotspots for pediatric dentists. Many studies had investigated the relationship between preterm, low birth weight (LBW) and ECC; however, the results were inconsistent. The present study was conducted with an evidence-based study to figure out the relationship between preterm, LBW and ECC for the first time. After searching the database, case–control and cross-sectional studies relevant to the relationship between preterm, LBW and ECC up to December 2019 were included. The data about odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were extracted and calculated with STATA 14.0 Software. A total of 22 studies were included in this meta-analysis, 9 studies of which did not only explore the relationship between ECC with preterm, but also study the relationship between ECC and LBW, 7 studies of which explored the relationship between preterm and ECC, and 6 studies of which studied the relationship between LBW and ECC. The meta-analysis results showed that the preterm increased the risk of ECC (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.36–1.87) significantly. There was no difference between LBW and normal birth weight in the incidence of ECC (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.94–1.33). The meta-analysis results of adjustment OR about LBW were similar to the crude OR (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.71–1.57). This meta-analysis indicated that preterm increased the risk of ECC significantly; however, LBW was not a risk factor for ECC.

Association between the incidence of early childhood caries and attending childcare among toddlers in a rural area of Japan: a prospective cohort study

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the incidence of early childhood caries (ECC) and factors of the daytime childcare environment among toddlers in a rural area of Japan. Material and methods This was a prospective cohort study. Data collected from 2011 to 2015 were obtained for initially caries-free, 18-month-old toddlers (N = 640). Dentists recorded the numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth (caries incidence) of toddlers at baseline (age 18 months) and follow-up (age 3 years). In addition, a questionnaire survey was conducted on guardians at baseline to record data on lifestyle. Results In total, 159 (24.8%) toddlers had newly identified ECC at follow-up. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the incidence of ECC was significantly associated with receiving daytime care at a nursery school (odds ratio [OR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–2.30; p = .029), prolonged breastfeeding (OR, 1.71; 95%CI, 1.15–2.55; p = .008), and snacking ≥3 times a day (OR, 2.39; 95%CI, 1.53–3.74; p < .001). Conclusion These findings suggest that receiving daytime care at a nursery school, prolonged breastfeeding, and frequent snacking are associated with an increased risk of ECC among Japanese toddlers in rural areas.

Prevention strategies at school may be effective in reducing the incidence of early childhood caries

Prevention strategies at school may be effective in reducing the incidence of early childhood caries

Is there an association between prenatal oral healthcare and early childhood caries prevention?

Data sources Database searches included Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov.Study selection This review included studies that assessed the impact of pre-natal oral health care on early childhood caries experience and/or oral carriage of S. mutans. The review included case control studies, retrospective or prospective cohort studies, randomised or non-randomised controlled trials. In vitro studies, animal studies, literature reviews, cross sectional studies and literature reviews were excluded.Data extraction and synthesis Two calibrated and independent reviewers screened the literature using a data extraction form based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A PRISMA flow diagram is presented showing the process of reviewing the literature. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomised Trials and an adapted version of the Downs and Black score were used to assess the quality of the included studies. A qualitative synthesis of five included studies is presented. A Forest Plot then presents quantitative data from four of the studies. A meta analysis did not take place. A generalised linear mixed effects model was applied to results from four of the studies.Results Five studies were included in the qualitative syntheses, three of the studies were randomised controlled trials, one was a prospective cohort study and one was a nested case-control in a cohort study. Two of the studies were assessed as high quality with three assessed as moderate quality. Odds ratios of children experiencing early childhood caries are reported for four studies demonstrating a reduced risk of early childhood caries in intervention groups compared to controls. A generalised linear mixed effects model using combined results from the four studies shows a reduced risk of developing early childhood caries in children up to the age of three years old whose mothers receive pre natal oral care. Above age three years the results of the modelling become non-significant. Based on the results of two studies the authors report a reduction in levels of S. mutans in the oral cavity of children whose mother had prenatal oral care.Conclusions The authors conclude that prenatal oral healthcare has a positive effect on incidence of early childhood caries and S. mutans carriage in children.

Development of a prognostic model for caries onset and progression from early childhood caries incidence in urban preschool children.

Of this prospective cohort study was to assess early childhood caries (ECC) incidence and, based on the data, build a model that not only predicts future ECC onset in clinically caries-free children, but also is prognostic for children with ECC. ECC incidence was assessed at the 12-month follow-up examination on a cohort of 291 preschool children. Weighted general estimation equation (WGEE) was used to estimate the effects of covariates on ds (decayed primary tooth surfaces) and dfs (decayed and filled primary tooth surfaces). The mean dfs at the baseline examination was 0.81. Of the 116 children who completed the study, approximately 22% examined at baseline had ECC (dfs > 0). At 12-months, 36% had ECC with a mean dfs of 2.22. Children with dfs = 0at baseline had 2.95 fewer ds in the primary dentition at the end of the study than children who had ECC at the baseline examination (dfs > 0) (p < 0.0001). Children with dfs = 0at baseline had 5.49 fewer ds and dfs in the primary dentition at the end of the study than children who had ECC at the baseline examination (dfs > 0) (p < 0.0001). ECC incidence at 1year was 14%. The prevalence of ECC at the 12-month follow-up examination was approximately 36%. The model developed from these data strongly indicate that past caries experience in the primary dentition is a significant predictor of future caries activity and severity, as well as a predictor of future caries onset in clinically caries-free children.

Parents Education and Oral Health Care in Early Childhood Caries prevention In Varamin City; Iran: A Cross Sectional Study

Objectives Oral health is a major component of overall health improvement and well-being. A large number of children are suffering from Early Childhood Caries (ECC). Parental knowledge and level of education can improve their child’s oral health care leading to reduction of ECC incidence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of education and knowledge in a group of parents, having three year old children, on ECC occurrence. Methods A total of eight hundred and fifteen, three-year-old children were recalled using pregnancy records available in healthcare centers of Varamin city, Iran. Dental examinations were performed by two calibrated senior dental students using decayed missed filled teeth (dmft) index using WHO standard method available. Parents’ knowledge, level of education and their opinion on their child/children‘s oral health care were recorded using WHO questionnaire. An independent T-test, Chi-square test and zero inflated Poisson regression was applied for statistical analysis. Results The mean dmft was 2.69 (±3.492, range 0-19) while 43.4% were caries free. In total, 85% of parents had high levels of education (above high school diploma) and 15% had low levels of education (bellow high school diploma) including illiterates. Children of parents with higher level of education, experienced less dental caries although this difference was not significant (p>0.05). Conclusion More than half of the three-year-old children living in Varamin city had some degrees of dental caries. Dental caries experience among participating children was rather high, despite most parents were educated.

A longitudinal study of early childhood caries incidence in Wenzhou preschool children

BackgroundEarly childhood caries (ECC) is a serious public health problem in China. Few studies, however, have described the incidence of ECC in China. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and incidence of ECC among preschool children in Wenzhou China.MethodsPreschool children aged 3–4 years old were surveyed and followed up when they reached 5–6 years of age in the city of Wenzhou in southeast China. The rates of dental caries were determined with prevalence, and incidence density for risk of caries of a person (IDp) and of a tooth surface (IDs).ResultsThe prevalence and decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth (dmft) score of 3–4, 4–5, and 5-6 years old children were 59.8% and 2.9, 71.8% and 4.2, and 76.4% and 4.6, respectively. The IDp was 29.7 and 14.8 persons/100 person-year during the first and second year. The IDs was 5.9 and 2.7 newly affected surfaces/100 surface-year, respectively. The percentage of molars with caries experience increased obviously; the percentage of maxillary central incisors and mandibular incisors with caries experience increased during the first follow-up, whereas it declined during the second follow-up; the others increased gradually.ConclusionsThe prevalence and incidence of dental caries in Wenzhou preschool children were very high with most of the carious teeth left untreated. The molars were the most affected teeth during the observation period.