Caries Prevalence in Preschool Children in a City of Southern Brazil According to Two Diagnostic Criteria: dmf-t and ICDAS II

Abstract

Objective: This cross-sectional research evaluated caries prevalence and treatment need in preschool children using different indexes. Material and Methods: A sample of 931 children (3-5 years old) attending public schools were examined by two calibrated researchers, who recorded the caries prevalence using dmf-t and ICDAS II. The clinical records obtained directed the decision regarding the treatment needs, which were divided into non-invasive and invasive procedures according to the scores registered in the different caries indexes. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data related to each index; qui-square test was used to compare the need of invasive and non-invasive treatment in the different ages. Results: The mean dmf-t was 1.8 ± 2.9, with a 42.9% caries prevalence. Using cutoff points of ICDAS II (≥1, ≥3 and ≥4), the caries prevalence values found were 50.7%, 40.8% and 30.7%, respectively. Fiveyear-old children exhibited the highest caries prevalence, assessed with dmf-t or ≥3 and ≥4 cutoff points of ICDAS II (≥3: p=0.032; ≥4: p=0.015). The percentages of caries-free children were 49.1% and 57.1%, respectively for ICDAS II and dmf-t. Restorative treatment in at least one tooth was required by 30.7% and 40% of the children for ICDAS II and dmf-t. Only ICDAS II could establish the percentage of non-invasive treatments (20%). Both indices pointed out the expressive need of restorative treatment. Conclusion: The use of dmf-t in epidemiological surveys may underestimate caries prevalence whereas the ICDAS II allowed the identification of early carious lesions and the viability of the use of non-invasive procedures as caries control measures in a child population.

Oral health status of schoolchildren living in rural and urban areas in southern Brazil

“…Our findings emphasize the importance of including caries activity assessment in epidemiological studies. 23,33 Among the measures adopted to avoid potential sources of bias, we would like to highlight our training and calibration processes (measurement bias), as well as our sample selection strategy, which included a census in the rural area and the selection of a representative sample in the urban area (selection bias). Even under field conditions, it was possible to obtain "almost perfect" kappa values according to Landis and Koch.…”

Primary Tooth Extraction Pattern Among Turkish Children with Severe Early Childhood Caries Treated Under General Anesthesia

“…The prevalence of ECC also varies greatly with various factors such as race, culture and ethnicity [3,4]. In addition, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, cariogenic diet and inadequate oral hygiene, long-term or faulty bottle use, low birth weight and vertical transition of streptococcus mutans from mother to child, general health status of the child, family income and education level of the mother are among the individual risk factors [5][6][7][8][9][10]. Although the prevalence rate of ECC is between 1 and 12% in most developed countries, it is as high as 70% among less developed and disadvantaged groups in developed countries [9,11].…”

Assessment of dental caries based on ICDAS and WHO criteria: A comparative study

“…This index, however, does not include non‐cavitated caries lesions. Since preventive and noninvasive procedures are the most desirable treatments to control dental caries, the focus of a caries index should be not only on cavitated lesions but also on noncavitated lesions 2,3 . Early diagnosis of noncavitated caries lesions enables enactment of preventive measures, which can ultimately lower the morbidity of dental caries and reduce the financial burden involved in restorative or rehabilitative care 4 .…”