Presence Of Early Childhood Caries Research Articles

Oral health and multimorbidity: is diet the chicken or the egg?

Oral health is a critical component of overall health and well-being, not just the absence of disease. The objective of this review paper is to describe relationships among diet, nutrition and oral and systemic diseases that contribute to multimorbidity. Diet- and nutrient-related risk factors for oral diseases include high intakes of free sugars, low intakes of fruits and vegetables and nutrient-poor diets which are similar to diet- and nutrient-related risk factors for systemic diseases. Oral diseases are chronic diseases. Once the disease process is initiated, it persists throughout the lifespan. Pain and tissue loss from oral disease leads to oral dysfunction which contributes to impaired biting, chewing, oral motility and swallowing. Oral dysfunction makes it difficult to eat nutrient-dense whole grains, fruits and vegetables associated with a healthy diet. Early childhood caries (ECC) associated with frequent intake of free sugars is one of the first manifestations of oral disease. The presence of ECC is our 'canary in the coal mine' for diet-related chronic diseases. The dietary sugars causing ECC are not complementary to an Eatwell Guide compliant diet, but rather consistent with a diet high in energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods - typically ultra-processed in nature. This diet generally deteriorates throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood increasing the risk of diet-related chronic diseases. Recognition of ECC is an opportunity to intervene and disrupt the pathway to multimorbidities. Disruption of this pathway will reduce the risk of multimorbidities and enable individuals to fully engage in society throughout the lifespan.

Evaluation of possible associated factors for early childhood caries: are preterm birth and birth weight related?

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the oral and dental health of preschool children aged 12–71 months living in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, and to examine the effects of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm, early term and term birth on dental caries.Methods475 participants were included in the study. Intraoral examinations were performed and evaluated for the presence of early childhood caries (ECC). These values ​​are; Relationships such as age, gender, birth weight, week of birth, tooth brushing frequency, cariogenic nutrition, and parental education levels were examined. The obtained data were analyzed statistically (chi-square, t-test, artificial neural network (ANN)).ResultsOf the 475 participants, whose parents agreed to fill out the questionnaire, 250 were female and 225 were male. While the mean age was 49.78 ± 14.78 months for those with ECC, it was 38.93 ± 17.96 months for those without. Higher duration of breastfeeding (p = 0.04), education level of parents (p = 0.001), lower socioeconomic level (p = 0.001), and lower brushing frequency (p = 0.001) were also found to be significantly associated with ECC. ECC was seen in 90% of 77 children with a history of preterm birth. In LBW, this rate was 83%. According to the ANN result, in preterm birth; 12.9% affected ECC by LBW.ConclusionAccording to the results of our study, both LBW and preterm delivery were found to be associated with ECC and S-ECC (severe early childhood caries). An additional study on parents of preterm/LBW infants would be beneficial. In the early period, regular dental examination, implementation of preventive and preventive treatments, and nutrition education to parents can make a significant difference in the prevention of ECC.

IMPACT OF ECC ON THE ORAL HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

Introduction: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the presence of one or more decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a child 71 months of age or younger. Quality of life is peoples perception of their position in life, in context to the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. Presence of dental caries in preschool children affects their quality of life and also, has negative impact on the parents quality of life. Aim: Aim of the study was to assess the impact of ECC on the oral health related quality of life of urban preschool children aged 24-71 months. Methodology: The present study was carried out to determine the impact of various oral conditions on the oral health-related quality of life of 24-71 months old urban preschool children. Result: Presence of ECC was found to significantly affect (p=0.003) the oral health related quality of life of preschool children and their families.

Assessing the Impact of Oral Disorders on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Preschool Children and their Families: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Oral disorders such as Traumatic Dental Injury (TDI) and Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can significantly impact the functional, social, and psychological well-being of growing children and their families. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) serves as a proxy assessment of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in children, developed to evaluate the effects on the quality of life of preschool children. Aim: To assess the impact of oral disorders on the OHRQoL of children aged two to six years and their families. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1000 children aged 2 to 6 years from various preschools in South Bangalore were selected. All children underwent examinations for caries, stains, and fractures. A modified questionnaire survey based on ECOHIS, consisting of 26 questions, was completed by the parents of the children. The answered questionnaire was then evaluated to assess the impact of dental conditions on the quality of life of both children and parents. Kruskal-Wallis Test, Dunn’s post-hoc Test, and Mann-Whitney Test were used to compare the mean scores of different domains of the OHRQoL scale based on ECC and dental trauma, respectively. Results: The severity of ECC demonstrated an adverse effect on the symptom domain (p<0.001), function domain (p=0.002), psychology domain (p=0.03), and the entire score of the Child Impact Section (CIS) (p<0.001). In the Family Impact Section (FIS), the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p<0.001). Dental trauma also showed an adverse effect on the symptoms domain (p<0.001) and the entire scores of the CIS (p=0.001). Additionally, the mean scores of the family distress domain and the overall FIS were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: The presence of ECC and dental trauma is likely to have a negative impact on the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of preschool-aged children and their families.

The Relationship Between Formula Feeding Patterns and Early Childhood Caries In Preschool Children In Ketileng Village, Todanan Blora

Caries that affects children under 72 months of age is called Early Childhood Caries (ECC). The high caries prevalence rate which reaches 81.5% in children aged 3-4 years is still a problem for Indonesia. One of the reasons for the high incidence of caries in preschoolers is the inappropriate pattern of breastfeeding or formula feeding. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between patterns of formula feeding and ECC in preschool children in Ketileng Village, Todanan, Blora. This study used an analytic observational research design with a cross sectional approach. The research sample was 69 respondents using a purposive sampling technique. Data were obtained from the results of dental examinations using the PUFA index and a questionnaire filled out by parents/guardians of students. Data analysis used the chi square statistical test. The results of the study showed duration, duration, frequency of consumption of formula milk, use of bottles/pacifiers, addition of sweeteners to consumption of formula milk and history of breastfeeding up to 2 years of age, each of which showed a value of p 0.05, which means there is a relationship with ECC. The conclusion of this study is that there is a relationship between the pattern of formula feeding and the presence of ECC in preschool children in Ketileng Village, Todanan, Blora.

Early childhood caries prevalence and associated factors among preschoolers aged 3-5 years in Xiangyun, China: A cross-sectional study.

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the early childhood caries (ECC) prevalence among preschoolers aged 3-5 years in Xiangyun of Yunnan, China and explore the factors associated with the prevalence.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey including 3-5-year-old children was conducted in Xiangyun County, China, between September and November 2020. According to the dental examination standard of the WHO 2013 criteria, the presence of ECC was recorded. Besides the dental examination for children, their parents completed questionnaires about caries-related factors, including demographic variables, family socioeconomic status, feeding, and oral health-related habits, parental dental knowledge, and the condition of dental service utilization. SPSS Statistics 25.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe ECC prevalence among a sample of 1,280 children aged 3–5 years consisting of 665 boys and 615 girls in this study, was 74.3%, and the mean decayed-missing-filled teeth (dmft) was 4.9 ± 5.0. There were no statistically significant differences in the ECC prevalence between the sexes and among different ethnic groups. Children with different dietary and oral hygiene habits showed no significantly different prevalence of ECC. Logistic regression analysis showed that the most significantly associated factors were older age, lower family income, and worse parental perception of children's oral health status.ConclusionThe ECC prevalence among 3–5-year-old preschool children in Xiangyun was higher than the average national ECC prevalence in China. This study implies that more attention should be given to children's caries prevention from early childhood; oral health education and promotion should be intensified to reduce the ECC prevalence and improve the oral health status of children in Xiangyun.

The prevalence of caries in the primary dentition and associated factors in children in the city of Parnaíba-Piauí

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of caries in primary dentition in preschoolers in Parnaíba, Brazil and identify associated factors. Material and Methods: The sample studies were children in primary dentition aged between two and six years. Both the children and their parents or guardians agreed to the child’s participation in the study. Those preschoolers with syndromes or special needs, those who did not tolerate the dental examination and those with a fixed orthodontic appliance were excluded. The questionnaire was completed by a parent or guardian of each child and the 360 children’s teeth were examined, using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). The data were dichotomized as presence of cavity related to caries - caries free and non-cavitated lesions (ICDAS 0, 1 and 2) and cavitated lesions (ICDAS ≥3).The presence of early childhood caries was determined and cavitation of the carious process was evaluated. Indications for necessary extraction of any primary teeth due to the carious process were noted. Results: The prevalence of caries in our sample of two to five-year-old children was 43.3% (p&lt;0.05), with no significant difference between ages or genders. The majority of children (84.6%) presented with caries in two or more teeth. Only 15.38% of these children had caries in a single tooth. The most commonly affected tooth was number 75, followed by teeth 55, 54 and 84. The prevalence of caries in preschoolers was found to be correlated with low socioeconomic status and poor quality of life. Conclusion: The prevalence of caries in preschool children was 43.3%. Several factors were associated with dental caries in primary dentition. Children with caries were unlikely to use dental floss or brush their tongues, were only taken for dental treatment when they experienced oral pain and had parents who did not consider brushing teeth after a meal to be important.

The relationship between preterm birth and the presence of early childhood caries: A scoping review

The relationship between preterm birth and the presence of early childhood caries: A scoping review

Risk Factors of Early Childhood Caries Among Preschool Children in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed to determine the risk factors of early childhood caries (ECC) among preschool children from eastern Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional study, 241 carers and their children from 10 daycares were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire aimed at assessing their sociodemographic profile and oral health-related behaviors. This was followed by a dental examination of the children by two calibrated dentists. Caries status was recorded using the dmft index. Chi-square and logistic regression tests were used to analyze the data (p < 0.05). The mean dmft of the children was 4.39 (SD ± 4.25). According to logistic regression analysis, children who were bottle-fed between 7 and 12 months (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 0.110) or breastfed between 13 and 18 months (AOR: 0.028) were less likely to have ECC than those with a prolonged feeding duration (>18 months). Also, those with smoking carers (AOR: 0.176) were less likely to have ECC than those with nonsmoking carers. On the other hand, children who had working carers, mainly mothers, in the education sector (AOR: 11.105), were more likely to have ECC (p < 0.05). The risk factors associated with the presence of ECC among preschool children in eastern Saudi Arabia include the mother's occupation and the carer's smoking status, as well as feeding practices (particularly bottle feeding). These factors can be modified by encouraging carers to completely wean their children (particularly from the bottle) by 18 months of age and advising working mothers to perform tooth brushing for their children in the morning before they go to work and in the evening before the children go to bed.

Early Childhood Caries and sugar: relationships and suggestions for prevention

ABSTRACT Objective: To show the relation between sugar intake in the infant diet and the presence of early childhood caries in a group of preschoolers. Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records of patients aged 0 to 6 years attended at the Clinic of Babies from 2010 to 2016, at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. The data analyzed were: patient identification, gender, age, sugar introduction (age and frequency), exclusive breastfeeding, use of a bottle containing sugar, brushing (with or without fluoride) and diagnosis of dental caries through the International Caries Detection and Assessment System. Descriptive analysis showed the characteristics of the sample and comparison analyzes were performed using Fisher and T-Student tests, to verify the relation between individual variables and sugary intake. Results: The average age of the children was 29 months. Of the 86 medical records analyzed, 80.0% of the children ingested sugary foods, and its were part of the eating routine. Only 36 medical records contained information about early childhood caries, in which 86.2% of prevalence was found. There was no statistical difference between sugary diet and other variables (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest an intense relationship between sugar and early childhood caries. The high frequency of sugar intake is a risk factor for the onset of caries in early childhood, and its insertion in infant feeding may be delayed. Food and hygiene orientation is fundamental in the treatment process as well as family awareness.

Validation of maternal report of early childhood caries status in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

BackgroundTo determine the validity of maternal reports of the presence of early childhood caries (ECC), and to identify maternal variables that increase the accuracy of the reports.MethodsThis secondary data analysis included 1155 mother–child dyads, recruited through a multi-stage sampling household approach in Ile-Ife Nigeria. Survey data included maternal characteristics (age, monthly income, decision-making ability) and maternal perception about whether or not her child (age 6 months to 5 years old) had ECC. Presence of ECC was clinically determined using the dmft index. Maternally reported and clinically determined ECC presence were compared using a chi-squared test. McNemar's test was used to assess the similarity of maternal and clinical reports of ECC. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, absolute bias, relative bias and inflation factor were calculated. Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05.ResultsThe clinically-determined ECC prevalence was 4.6% (95% Confidence interval [CI]: 3.5–5.0) while the maternal-reported ECC prevalence was 3.4% (CI 2.4–4.6). Maternal reports underestimated the prevalence of ECC by 26.1% in comparison to the clinical evaluation. The results indicate low sensitivity (9.43%; CI 3.13–20.70) but high specificity (96.9%; CI 95.7–97.9). The positive predictive value was 12.8% (CI 4.3–27.4) while the negative predictive value was 95.7% (CI 94.3–96.8). The inflation factor for maternally reported ECC was 1.4. Sensitivity (50.0%; CI 6.8–93.2) and positive predictive value were highest (33.3%; CI 4.3–77.7) when the child had a history of visiting the dental clinic.ConclusionsMothers under-reported the presence of ECC in their children in this study population. The low sensitivity and positive predictive values of maternal report of ECC indicates that maternal reporting of presence of ECC may not be used as a valid tool to measure ECC in public health surveys. The high specificity and negative predictive values indicate that their report is a good measure of the absence of ECC in the study population. Child’s history of dental service utilization may be a proxy measure of presence of ECC.

Association between maternal socioeconomic factors, decision-making status, and dental utilization by children with early childhood caries in sub-urban Nigeria.

To determine the association between maternal education, income, and decision-making status and the presence of early childhood caries (ECC) and dental-service utilization among young children. This cross-sectional study was based on data from a household survey of 1,549 mother-preschool-aged-child dyads conducted in Ife Central Local Government Area, Nigeria. The explanatory variables were maternal education, income, and decision-making status (related to healthcare, large household purchases, and visits to family/relatives). Outcome variables were the presence of ECC and the child's history of dental-service utilization. Poisson regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with outcomes; the models were adjusted for maternal age, child's socioeconomic status, oral hygiene status, and frequency of sugar consumption. The study recruited 1,549 mother-child dyads, of which 66 (4.3 percent) children had ECC, and 90 (5.9 percent) children had a history of dental-service utilization. Fewer than half (42.3 percent) of the mothers earned between N18,001($49.00) and 60,000 ($168.00) per month. Also, 896 (57.8 percent) reported not making any independent decisions, 152 (9.8 percent) made one of three decisions independently, and 313 (20.2 percent) made two or three decisions independently. In the adjusted model, children of mothers with monthly income higher than N60,000 were more likely to have used dental services than were those whose mother's monthly income was less than or equal to N18,000 (adjusted prevalence ratio = 2.29; 95%CI: 1.30-4.02; P = 0.004). No other maternal factor was associated with ECC. Although maternal socioeconomic factors and decision-making abilities were not associated with ECC prevalence, more preschool children whose mothers had high income used dental services.

Impact of early childhood caries on oral health-related quality of life: review

The oral health problems affecting children have received special attention in both contemporary and epidemiology dentistry. Dental caries can cause many problems for children at an early age. These problems include esthetics, physical, social, psychological, and functional activities that all affect the general health of the children. Thus, early childhood caries (ECC) can compromise the children’s quality of life. This review aimed to declare the impact of ECC on the oral health-related quality of life. A Medline research was completed for the period from 1990 to 2019, along with a manual research, to locate relevant peer-reviewed articles and textbooks published in English. Several keywords were used to obtain all possible articles concerned with the subject. Thus, it was concluded that there is a scarcity in studies that were conducted to study the impact of ECC on oral health-related quality of life, also most of them were trials and showed unclear results. It is recommended to establish more studies which focus on declaring the children’s oral health-related quality of life in the presence of ECC.

The Role of Mother’s Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices in Dental Caries on Vulnerably Preschool Children

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.

Dietary Patterns and Risk of Obesity and Early Childhood Caries in Australian Toddlers: Findings from an Australian Cohort Study.

We examined associations between dietary patterns at 12 months, characterised using multiple methodologies, and risk of obesity and early childhood caries (ECC) at 24–36 months. Participants were Australian toddlers (n = 1170) from the Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events affecting oral health (SMILE) birth cohort. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and the Dietary Guideline Index for Children and Adolescents (DGI-CA) were applied to dietary intake data (1, 2 or 3-days) at 12 months, and regression analysis used to examine associations of dietary patterns with body mass index Z-score and presence of ECC at 24–36 months. Two dietary patterns were extracted using PCA: family diet and cow’s milk and discretionary combination. The mean DGI-CA score was 56 ± 13 (out of a possible 100). No statistically significant or clinically meaningful associations were found between dietary pattern or DGI-CA scores, and BMI Z-scores or ECC (n = 680). Higher cow’s milk and discretionary combination pattern scores were associated with higher energy and free sugars intakes, and higher family diet pattern scores and DGI-CA scores with lower free sugars intakes. The association between dietary patterns and intermediate outcomes of free sugars and energy intakes suggests that obesity and/or ECC may not yet have manifested, and thus longitudinal investigation beyond two years of age is warranted.

Evaluation of the impact of early childhood caries, traumatic dental injury, and malocclusion on oral health-Related quality of life for Turkish preschool children and families.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the presence of early childhood caries (ECC), traumatic dental injury (TDI), and malocclusion, as well as severe conditions, on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children and families. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in children aged 1 to 6 years old, who attended to the Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Gazi University. The questionnaires were adapted to Turkish, and OHRQoL was measured using the Turkish version of Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (T-ECOHIS). Children were classified into four main groups, two subgroups in each group based on their severity conditions-Group 1: ECC group; Group 2: TDI group; Group 3: Malocclusion group; Group 4: Control group. Parents answered the questions about sociodemographic conditions and T-ECOHIS. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for non-normal distribution and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare T-ECOHIS score regarding ECC, TDI, and malocclusion. Both simple and severe conditions of TDI showed a negative impact on the family and child based on T-ECOHIS scores (P < 0.05). The severe condition of ECC and malocclusion showed significantly negative impact on family (P > 0.05) but not on child (P > 0.0.5). The presence of ECC, TDI, and malocclusion has a negative effect on OHRQoL of Turkish preschool children and specially their families. So, public health programs should be carried out about oral health for raising parents' and children's awareness and increasing OHRQoL.

Early childhood caries, salivary and microbiological aspects among 3- to 4-year-old children in Cali, Colombia.

To investigate the presence of early childhood caries (ECC) in relation to plaque index, colony-forming units of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus spp., pH and salivary buffer capacity in day-care pre-schooler's aged 3-4years old in Cali, Colombia, 2016. Caries prevalence was determined in 124 children using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System and plaque index. In addition, a non-stimulated saliva sample was obtained to determine its pH, and buffer capacity. 55.65% of the children had ECC. The mean decayed-missing-filled teeth index was 2.94 ± 4.26. The absence or presence of ECC, compared to the median plaque index showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). There was not an association between ECC and S. mutans, Lactobacillus spp. colonies, pH and buffer capacity of saliva. This study reported association between ECC and the increasing amount of bacterial plaque. Other important biological risk factors were not associated with ECC. Regular tooth cleaning can be the most important public health measure to control ECC in day-care children.

Association between the mode of delivery and the occurance of early childhood caries in children from 2 to 5 years of the maternal chilhood center Pachacutec Perú-Korea, Diresa Callao, Perú 2016

Early childhood caries (ECC) continues to be the biggest oral health problem in developing countries. Several studiesreport ECC prevalence in children aged 3 years from 40% to 65.7% and in children 5 and 6 years of age up to86%. There are multiple risk factors associated with ECC, such as: cariogenic diet, poor oral hygiene, low salivaryflow, low parental socioeconomic status, low parental education, etc. But there is also a “mode of delivery” factorthat is not being considered and could be important and determinant for the occurrence of ECC.Objective: To determine if there is an association between the mode of delivery and the presence of ECC in childrenaged 2 to 5 years of the Maternal and Child Health Center Pachacutec PERU-KOREA, DIRESA CALLAO2016.Materials and Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and prospective study was conductedwith children attending the PERU-COREA Maternal and Child Health Center (n=125) during September to Decemberof 2016. A validated questionnaire was used for socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors forECC. An intraoral clinical examination of the children was also performed.Results: The prevalence of ECC in the sample evaluated was 60%. A statistically significant association wasfound between the mode of delivery and the presence of ECC (p &lt;0.001), as well as the covariables oral hygieneindex, frequency of carbohydrate consumption, type of lactation, bottle feeding at night and education of themother, all with a p &lt;0.005. Conclusion: Children born by cesarean section are more at risk of ECC than childrenborn by vaginal delivery

Association of early life health conditions, nutritional status, and feeding practices with caries prevalence in preschool children

This study aimed to determine whether health conditions in the first year of life, nutritional status and dietary habits throughout life are related to the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC). Material and methods: Sample consisted of 338 children from public schools. The prevalence of dental caries was assessed by dmf-t index. An anthropometric analysis was conducted for identification of nutritional risk. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and Poisson regression analysis, considering the dependent variables: a) presence of ECC (dmft ≥ 1); b) presence of severe ECC (dmft ≥ 6). Results: It was observed that 64% of the children exhibited ECC (mean dmft 2.97) and 23% suffer from severe ECC (mean dmft 8.2). 28 (11%) were at nutritional risk and more than 30% consumed sweets one or more times a day. It was observed that 8% showed low birth weight, 9% used antibiotics frequently in the first year of life and 67% maintained the habit of nocturnal bottle/breast-feeding after this period. Nocturnal feeding for prolonged time, frequent use of antibiotics and nutritional risk were associated with higher prevalence and severity of caries in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: These results reinforce the relationship between early life events, nutritional status, and dental caries in primary teeth.

Association of early life health conditions, nutritional status, and feeding practices with caries prevalence in preschool children

This study aimed to determine whether health conditions in the first year of life, nutritional status and dietary habits throughout life are related to the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC). Material and methods: Sample consisted of 338 children from public schools. The prevalence of dental caries was assessed by dmf-t index. An anthropometric analysis was conducted for identification of nutritional risk. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and Poisson regression analysis, considering the dependent variables: a) presence of ECC (dmft ≥ 1); b) presence of severe ECC (dmft ≥ 6). Results:It was observed that 64% of the children exhibited ECC (mean dmft 2.97) and 23% suffer from severe ECC (mean dmft 8.2). 28 (11%) were at nutritional risk and more than 30% consumed sweets one or more times a day. It was observed that 8% showed low birth weight, 9% used antibiotics frequently in the first year of life and 67% maintained the habit of nocturnal bottle/breast-feeding after this period. Nocturnal feeding for prolonged time, frequent use of antibiotics and nutritional risk were associated with higher prevalence and severity of caries in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: These results reinforce the relationship between early life events, nutritional status, and dental caries in primary teeth.