Prevalence and sociobehavioural determinants of early childhood caries among 5-year-old Portuguese children: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Purpose To assess the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) and associated factors among a 5-year-old cohort. Methods An observational longitudinal study was conducted with a sample of 142 preschoolers. A calibrated dentist performed intraoral examinations following International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS-II) criteria at baseline and after 6 months. A questionnaire on sociodemographic variables and oral health-related behaviours was answered by caregivers. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and computation of confidence intervals (95% confidence level). Results Baseline prevalence of ECC and severe ECC (S-ECC) were 40.1% and 11.3%, respectively. After 6 months ECC and S-ECC prevalence rates were 46.5%, and 13.2%, respectively. At both evaluations most caries lesions were untreated. Parental education and occupation were significantly associated with ECC. Behaviour variables found to be significantly associated with the disease comprised: establishing toothbrushing habits before the first year, toothbrushing twice daily and with parental assistance, frequency of dental visits, age at first dental visits, daily ingestion of sweets and number of daily meals. Conclusion The prevalence of ECC was very high, with most of the lesions left untreated. ECC experience was associated with participants' socioeconomic background and several of the surveyed oral health-related behaviour variables.

Knowledge of Breastfeeding Mothers Regarding Caries Prevention in Toddlers

“…Examining the association between demographic characteristics with the knowledge and attitudes of the mothers showed that mothers with an academic education demonstrated more knowledge regarding the recommended practices of the infant oral health. This result aligns with the literature that mothers with higher education have a better level of knowledge about their baby's dental health [20][21][22]. Specifically, mothers with lower education showed poor knowledge regarding the need to refrain from transmitting bacteria by mouth kissing or using the same eating utensil to taste the food before giving it to the baby [26].…”

“…For example, children who have been exposed to tooth decay in early childhood are more likely to have tooth decay in both deciduous and permanent dentition. ECC not only affects dental health, but also leads to other health consequences such as pain, infection, affecting eating habits, and sleep disorders [19,20].…”

The Burden of Early Childhood Caries in Children under 5 Years Old in the European Union and Associated Risk Factors: An Ecological Study

“…It also emphasized that there is a general association between a carbohydrate-based diet and socioeconomic factors; thus, the link between caries and socioeconomic factors, including education level, is very complex. The dose–response relationship between sugar consumption and ECC may explain the increasing ECC burden [ 44 , 47 ], primarily in less-privileged societies of the EU [ 48 ], and there is also a significant association with education level. Children of less educated mothers tend to consume more sugar in their diet, or be exposed to poor nutrition, and are less likely to visit the dentist [ 25 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 ].…”

Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale: Psychometric Evaluation in Portuguese Preschoolers

“…In the most recent national survey in Portugal, it was found that 53% of 6-year-old children had dental caries ( 5 ). Some Portuguese studies in preschool ( 6 , 7 ) found similar results indicating a high prevalence of caries in primary dentition, and unfortunately the World Health Organization's target of achieving 80% of children being caries-free by 2020 was not met. The presence of the disease is linked to social factors ( 6 , 7 ) and behavioural factors ( 7 ), underscoring the importance of early and targeted interventions.…”