Factors Influencing Early Childhood Caries of Cleft Lip and/or Palate Children Aged 18 to 36 Months in Southern Thailand

Objective: To clarify whether oral health care behavior or oral cleft status influences early childhood caries in southern Thailand cleft children. Design: A comparative cross-sectional study. Patients, Participants: A total of 138 southern Thai children aged 18 to 36 months comprised two groups of 69 participants, one with cleft lip and/or palate and controls with no cleft. Methods: All children were examined for early childhood caries by using the severity (DMFT/tooth) index. A structured interview was conducted among caregivers, and then multiple regression analysis was applied. Results: Children with oral clefts had a larger number of early childhood caries (ECC) and poorer feeding habits than those without. From a structured questionnaire, the caregivers of children with clefts exercised poorer oral health behavior than those of the controls, but the cleft status was not an important factor for caries prevalence when oral health behaviors were controlled. Multivariate analysis showed that sweetened bottled milk consumption, night-time feeding habit, and frequent sugary food consumption were the variables significantly associated with dental caries. Conclusions: Children with oral clefts in southern Thailand had greater caries experience when compared with noncleft subjects. However, cleft status was not significant for ECC, and night-time feeding habit was the most important factor for higher ECC in children with clefts.     

学龄前儿童乳牙龋相关因素的分析

目的 评价学龄前儿童的唾液变形链球菌、唾液流速和缓冲力、口腔卫生状况、饮食和口腔卫生习惯、母亲文化程度和职业等因素在乳牙龋发生中的意义.方法 采用病例对照研究方法,对1018名4岁和5岁儿童进行龋齿检查,其中dmft≥6的204人构成高龋组,dmft=0的237人为无龋组.测定两组儿童唾液变形链球菌水平、唾液流速和缓冲力、软垢指数,并由儿童母亲回答统一问卷.结果 共有417名儿童纳入结果的统计中.Logistic回归分析结果显示,唾液变形链球菌(OR=3.019)、软垢指数(OR=2.263)、每天吃甜食次数(OR=1.729)、每天喝甜饮料次数(OR=1.496)、奶瓶内容物含糖(OR=2.255)等因素有意义.结论 唾液变形链球菌水平高、口腔卫生差、高频率摄入甜食、奶瓶喂养时内容物含糖是乳牙龋的重要危险因素.     

上海市1296名3~5岁儿童龋病及其相关危险因素分析

目的 了解上海市3~5岁儿童低龄儿童龋患病情况及相关危险因素,为龋病防治提供参考。方法 根据第4次全国口腔健康流行病学调查要求,采用多阶段分层、等容量随机抽样方法,抽取上海市1 296名4个区、12个幼儿园中3~5岁儿童进行龋病检查,对其家长进行口腔健康知识问卷调查。采用SPSS 21.0软件包进行统计学分析。结果 上海市3~5岁儿童的乳牙患龋率、龋均分别为58.07%、2.99,各年龄组及性别间差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。龋病相关单因素分析及多因素Logistics回归分析均显示,饮用甜饮料频率高、睡前吃甜食、刷牙频率少于每天1次、开始刷牙年龄大于2岁、家长受教育程度低及口腔健康知识水平差是患龋的危险因素。结论 上海市3~5岁儿童乳牙患龋率较高,加强儿童的饮食习惯及口腔卫生行为教育,提高家长口腔健康知识水平,是防治儿童龋病的有效途径。     

Early childhood caries: prevalence and risk factors in Seoul,Korea

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC), including noncavitated lesions (d1), in children 6-59 months of age in relation to socioeconomic factors, feeding practices, and oral health behaviors in Seoul, Korea. METHODS: The children attended child care facilities and were selected from 32 primary sampling units. Two dentists examined 470 children. Parents of 383 of the subjects were interviewed by phone regarding caries risk factors. RESULTS: For children 6-59 months of age, the prevalence of ECC and severe ECC were 56.5 percent and 47.0 percent respectively. In bivariate analysis, the children whose nursing bottle contained sweetened solution had higher severe ECC prevalence (P=.035), and children whose parents reported a lower frequency of between-meal snacks showed lower ECC prevalence (P=.046). By logistic regression analysis, age and frequency of between-meal snacks were associated with the prevalence of ECC (P<.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the prevalence of ECC was high among children in Seoul. Early educational intervention programs for pregnant women and mothers of young children should be developed based on the risk factors identified in this study.     

Caries prediction model in pre-school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objectives. To evaluate the significance of variables such as oral hygiene, dietary habits, socio-economic status and medical history of a child in assessing the level of caries risk and to generate a caries prediction model for pre-school Saudi children. Design. Cross-sectional study of pre-school children. Setting. Clinics and schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sample and methods. A sample of 446 Saudi pre-school children, 199 males and 247 females, with a mean age of 4·13 years, were selected at random from clinics and schools. Selection was limited to subjects who either had no caries (dmft= 0) or who had high caries experience (dmft > 8). Each child was examined for caries experience and oral hygiene status. Their mothers were interviewed through a standardized questionnaire for information about oral hygiene habits of the children, diet history, childhood illness and socio-economic status. Results. There was a highly significant difference between the two groups in: debris index (P<0.0001), age child started tooth brushing, (P<0·0001), age breastfeeding was stopped (P<0·005), nocturnal bottle feeding with milk formula (P<0·0001), use of sweetened milk (P<0·0001), frequency of use of soft drinks (P<0·0005), frequency of consumption of sweets (P<0·0001), and age at first dental visit (P<0·0001). A caries prediction model developed through stepwise multivariate Logistic Regression (LR) analyses showed debris index, use of sweetened milk in bottle, frequency of consumption of soft drinks, frequency of intake of sweets and child’s age at the first dental visit to be significant. Predictive probability of the model was 86·31% with a sensitivity of 90·1% and a specificity of 80·6%. Conclusions. Risk factors for dental caries have been identified and a caries prediction model has been developed for Saudi pre–school children. The prediction model, if verified, may provide dentists with guidance in identifying high caries risk Saudi pre-school children as targets for preventive programmes     

Association of maternal-child characteristics as a factor in early childhood caries and salivary bacterial counts

The aim of this study was to investigate the caries-related microorganisms in saliva and the prevalence of Early childhood caries (ECC) in 15- to 35-month-old Turkish children and their associations with the characteristics of the mothers, socioeconomic criteria, and feeding habits of the children. METHODS: Saliva samples of 101 children were studied to determine the numbers of Streptococcus mutans, lactobacilli, and Candida albicans. A questionnaire regarding the characteristics of the mothers, socioeconomic criteria, and feeding habits of the children was carried out before the dental examinations of the mother-child pairs. RESULTS: The regression analyses revealed DMFS scores of the mothers as an impact factor for the children's caries experience. The prolonged usage of feeding bottle with sweetened milk, pacifier use, and maternal sharing were strongly associated with the colonization of S. mutans, lactobacilli, and C. albicans, respectively. A significant correlation was also found between maternal education and S. mutans. CONCLUSION: Data indicated that the mother's DMFS scores, education, and feeding habits were strong risk indicators for the colonization of caries-related micro-organisms and ECC.     

DENTAL CARIES PREVALENCE IN CHILDREN UP TO 36 MONTHS OF AGE ATTENDING DAYCARE CENTERS IN MUNICIPALITIES WITH DIFFERENT WATER FLUORIDE CONTENT

This study determined the prevalence of cavitated caries lesions (CCL) and early childhood caries (ECC), and the contribution of some variables in children up to 36 months of age attending daycare centers in municipalities with different fluoride levels in the water supply: AFC (adequate fluoride content) and LFC (low fluoride content). After approval of the Ethics Committee, the parents were interviewed. The children were clinically examined using the same codes and criteria established by the WHO (World Health Organization) and the ADA (American Dental Association). Fisher''s exact test (p<0.05) was applied for statistical analysis of data. The dmft indices calculated in the LFC and AFC municipalities were 0.57 and 0.68, respectively. Considering all children examined, 17.6% presented CCL and 33.8% ECC. The economic classification, mother''s education level and duration of breastfeeding were considered statistically significant with regards to CCL prevalence. The age group, duration of the habit of drinking milk before bedtime and age at which oral hygiene started were considered statistically significant with regards to ECC prevalence.     

Early childhood caries prevalence and associated risk factors among Saudi preschool children in Riyadh

AimTo determine the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) and investigate the effect of associated risk factors on ECC prevalence in preschool children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included Saudi preschoolers aged 36–71 months. Parents/guardians completed a structured, self-administered questionnaire assessing sociodemographics; medical, dental, and dietary history; and oral hygiene practices. Children were orally examined for dental caries, oral hygiene, and plaque deposition.ResultsA total of 383 children were examined. ECC prevalence was 72.6%, with a mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) score of 4.13 (±3.99) and a mean decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (dmfs) score of 7.0 (±9.1). Children from schools in northern Riyadh and those of fathers in professional jobs were less likely to have ECC [(OR: 0.203; 95% CI: 0.082–0.503)] and [(OR: 0.472; 95% CI: 0.256–0.871)], respectively. Children with a nocturnal feeding history and poor oral hygiene were more likely to have ECC [(OR: 2.281; 95% CI: 1.143–4.553)] and [(OR: 5.523; 95% CI: 2.269–13.441)], respectively.ConclusionsThe prevalence of ECC in preschool children in Riyadh is high and affected by parental socioeconomic factors, infant feeding practices, and children’s oral hygiene status.     

Caries prevalence in 2-year-old children in the city of Zurich

OBJECTIVES: To establish caries prevalence in 2-year-olds in the city of Zurich; and to investigate the relationship between caries prevalence and dietary habits, and oral hygiene practices in native children and children with immigrant background. METHOD: 1,000 randomly selected 2-year-olds were invited to participate in a clinical examination, at which parents were interviewed about the child's oral hygiene and dietary habits. Caries diagnosis was based on visual inspection of all tooth surfaces and included both initial (d1) and cavitated (d2) lesions. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions for two subgroups of children (children of Swiss and foreign-born mothers) were performed in order to assess the association between predictor variables and caries. RESULTS: 771 children were examined (participation rate 78%; mean age 2.4 years (age range 2.06-2.90 years)). Although the majority (94%) was born in Switzerland, 61% of children had immigrant backgrounds (mother not born in Switzerland). Cavitated teeth (d2mft) were observed in 12.6% of children (95% CI: 10.4-15.1%). Caries including initial lesions (dl2mft) affected 25.3% of children (95% CI: 22.4-28.5%). There were 34 (4.4%) children with severe caries (all maxillary incisors cavitated). For children with caries, the mean d2mft was 4.3 (+/- 2.8). Children with foreign-born mothers (mothers not born in Switzerland) exhibited a significantly higher caries prevalence than those with Swiss-born mothers (17.4% versus 5.0% with d2mft > 0). CONCLUSIONS: Children with foreign-born mothers exhibited significantly higher caries prevalence rates than those with Swiss-born mothers. Poor oral hygiene and night-time bottle use were identified as risk indicators for caries in all children. Further risk indicators identified in children of foreign-born mothers were a preference for sugar-containing non-milk drinks, no pacifier use, child's age and male gender.     

Determinants of ECC in Sardinian preschool children

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the influence of determinants on the presence of caries in pre-school children. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: A matched case-control study (1:2) was designed: 55 children (32 males, 23 females) with at least one buccal or lingual caries lesion on one primary maxillary incisor were selected (caries affected=1) and compared to randomly selected controls (no caries=0) paired for age and gender. Several variables concerning oral hygiene habits, use of fluoride supplementation, dietary habits, socio-economic status of the family and lifestyle factors were considered as risk predictors for early childhood caries (ECC). A conditional logistic regression model was used to perform matched case-control analysis. RESULTS: Bottle feeding at night (OR=1.90; 95%CI=1.03-3.50) and socio-economic level (OR=1.69; 95%CI=1.01-2.81) were positively associated with case status. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ECC seemed to be associated with bottle feeding at night and a low socio-economic level.     

Feeding habits as determinants of early childhood caries in a population where prolonged breastfeeding is the norm

Abstract – Objectives: To investigate the impact of feeding habits and daytime sugar intake on the prevalence of early childhood caries in a population where prolonged breastfeeding is a norm. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out at 18 of 102 public health centers in Tehran. During a 4‐day period at each center, between 20 and 35 children aged 1–3 years were enrolled, resulting in a sample of 504 children. In structured interviews, mothers were asked to give information about their child’s feeding habits, daytime sugar intake, and their family’s background. Sugar intake during the night was operationalized as separately calculated burdens of nighttime breastfeeding and bottle‐feeding. Clinical dental examinations followed the World Health Organization criteria. Data analysis included chi‐square test, t‐test, anova , and logistic regression modeling. Results: Of the children, 56% were solely breastfed (mean duration 16.6 months; 95% CI 16.0–17.2), 42% were both breastfed and bottle‐fed, and 2% were solely bottle‐fed. Mean duration of breastfeeding for the solely breastfed 24‐ to 36‐month olds was 22.8 months (95% CI 21.8–23.9). At bedtime, 69% were breastfed, 11% bottle‐fed, and 20% were not fed at all. With respect to feeding during the night, 72% of children were breastfed, 12% were bottle‐fed with milk, 1% received a bottle with water, while 15% were not fed. Early childhood caries (ECC) occurred in 3–26% of the children, depending on age group (P < 0.001). The burden of milk‐bottle feeding at night was a clear determinant for ECC (OR = 5.5) whereas breastfeeding per se, its duration, the burden of breastfeeding at night, and daytime sugar intake were not. Conclusion: On account of its association with ECC, milk‐bottle feeding at night should be limited, whereas prolonged breastfeeding appears to have no such negative dental consequences.     

A staged intervention dental health promotion programme to reduce early childhood caries

OBJECTIVE: This paper reports the results of a community trial to assess the effects of a multi-stage dental health promotion programme in reducing Early Childhood Caries (ECC). RESEARCH DESIGN: Two health districts (Primary Care Groups) were matched for dental disease levels and socio-demographic factors. One was randomly allocated to be the test Primary Care Group (PCG), the other the control PCG. Children in the test PCG received a series of interventions to support positive dental health behaviour from the age of 8 to 32 months. Interviews were conducted with parents of children aged 21 months and clinical examinations were undertaken on a larger cohort of children aged 3-4 years in test and control PCGs. SETTING: The interventions were gift bags containing a trainer cup, toothpaste containing 1,450 ppm F and toothbrush, and advice given to the children's parents on attendance at designated clinics and medical practices and further paste and brushes posted to the children's homes. Parents were interviewed on the telephone. Examinations took place at Children's Centres and nursery departments attached to primary schools. OUTCOME MEASURES: Severity and prevalence of ECC and general caries and proportion of parents reporting adopting dentally healthy behaviours. RESULTS: In the test PCG the prevalence of ECC in children who had received the interventions was 16.6% compared with 23.5% of children in the control area, a reduction of 29% (p=0.003). The mean dmft (1.17) and prevalence of general caries experience (28.7%) in the test children were also significantly lower than for children in the control PCG (1.72: 39.2%) (p=0.001). Analysis from a community perspective, which included data from all children examined in both areas, showed the prevalence of ECC in the test and control PCGs was 21.3% and 22.8% respectively and the mean dmft 1.47 and 1.72. The proportion with general caries experience remained statistically significant in favour of the test area 33.8% vs 39.9% (p=0.01). Parents in the test PCG were more likely to report cessation of bottle use (33% vs 18%), use of sugar-free drinks (49% vs 24%), commencement of brushing before first birthday (45% vs 27%) and twice daily brushing (52% vs 34%). CONCLUSION: The parents who received this multi-stage intervention were more likely to report adoption of three positive oral health behaviours; using a trainer cup from one year of age, using safe drinks and brushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste. The programme failed to reduce the prevalence of ECC in the community but the prevalence of ECC and general caries experience among the children who participated was less than among children in the control PCG.     

Psychosocial factors and early childhood caries among low-income African-American children in Detroit

Objectives: This study sought to advance knowledge of the social determinants of oral health, by examining how several specific maternal health beliefs, behaviors, and psychosocial factors relate to young children's early childhood caries (ECC) status in a lower‐income African–American population. Methods: Data were collected by the Detroit Dental Health Project (NIDCR grant), a population‐based study of 1021 African–American families with at least one child under 6 years of age and living in 39 low‐income Census tracts in Detroit, Michigan. Analyses were limited to 719 children aged 1–5 years and their biological mothers, and conducted in SUDAAN to account for the complex sampling design. Survey data included health belief scales on mothers’ self‐efficacy, feelings of fatalism, knowledge about appropriate bottle use and children's oral hygiene needs, brushing habits, psychosocial measures of depressive symptoms (CES‐D), parenting stress, and availability of instrumental social support. The child's age, dental insurance status, dental visit history, and 1‐week brushing frequency were also included in the model. Children's ECC status, based on a dental examination, was the main outcome. The dental team used the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) criteria for caries detection. Each child was classified as either caries‐free or having ECC or severe ECC (S‐ECC) based on the case definition of ECC proposed by an expert panel for research purposes with preschool‐aged children. Results: The dental team followed a specific examination protocol and established reliable and consistent ratings of ECC based on the ICDAS criteria. The inter‐rater reliability kappa was 0.83 overall, and the intra‐rater reliability kappa was 0.74 overall. One‐third of the children had ECC, and 20% had severe ECC. Age of the child and lower parenting stress scores were each positively associated with ECC, while higher education and income were protective. Maternal oral health fatalism and knowledge of children's hygiene needs were associated with ECC among preschool‐aged children. ECC was higher among younger children who had past restorative care. Conclusions: These findings call attention to the high prevalence of ECC in this population and the need to consider psychosocial as well as traditional risk factors in developing interventions to reduce oral health disparities.     

A review of a community program aimed at preventing early childhood caries among Jerusalem infants--a brief communication

Early childhood caries (ECC) has not been adequately investigated in Israel. A previous Jerusalem study has demonstrated a potential effect on toothbrushing among infants. The present study was initiated in order to examine caries prevalence and the potential effect of a community intervention program. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to review an intervention program and assess ECC distribution and associated variables. METHODS: The study sample included 1,500 infants in matched "intervention" and "control" Mother and Child Health centers. The 2-year program, initially including all children at the age of 6 months, focused on the free distribution of toothbrushes and toothpastes. ECC prevalence was determined in a cross-sectional study. RESULTS: At 2.5 years, 596 children were examined (40 percent compliance). About half of the parents reported that they had participated once or not at all over the 2-year period, which demonstrated low program participation. Among the examined children, ECC prevalence was 15.3 percent. No difference in caries levels was found between the program and control groups. The reported level of brushing twice daily was 13.9 percent, while 26.8 percent reported not brushing at all. Eighty-one percent reported going to bed at night with a bottle. Children who drank sugar-sweetened beverages had ECC levels significantly higher than those who drank milk or natural juice (18.8 percent versus 8.9 percent). CONCLUSIONS: The dental health and behavior and lack of intervention success emphasized the need to seek a more effective strategy. Emphasis on toothbrushing might not be the only nor optimal solution for this serious public health problem.     

An inquiry into the effects of health related behaviour on dental health among young Asian children resident in a fluoridated city in Canada

In low-fluoride areas, infant feeding practices have been implicated in the aetiology of extensive caries found in young Asian children. The purpose of this study was to compare the findings in low-fluoride Leeds, UK with fluoridated Edmonton, in Canada. A multilingual interpreter interviewed Asian parents, and their children aged 2 to 5 years were then given a dental examination. From the initial sample contacted by post, a 72 per cent response rate was achieved. Of the 72 parents interviewed, three-quarters reported that the child was initially breast fed, 11 for over 12 months. The majority of children continued bottle feeding beyond 24 months of age, and one-third drank sweetened milk. Two-thirds of the sample were caries free. The continued use of a feeding bottle per se was not associated with caries experience, but caries was more likely to occur if sugar, honey or cereal were added to the drink. A positive association was found between caries experience and sustained breast feeding beyond 12 months of age. Social variables, including father's occupation and mother's ability to speak English were not related to caries experience. The results confirm that, as in the UK, South Asian parents in Canada provide feeding bottles for their children's drinks well beyond infancy. Nevertheless, in a fluoridated city, bottle-feeding practices were not associated with caries experience unless drinks were sweetened. However, prolonged breast feeding was found to be harmful to dental health. The role of fluoride ingestion in relation to these feeding practices is discussed.     

The association of early childhood caries and race/ethnicity among California preschool children

OBJECTIVES: This paper explores the role of race/ethnicity in the occurrence of early childhood caries (ECC) among California Head Start (HS) and non-HS preschool children. METHODS: Using oral examination and questionnaire data from the 1993-94 California Oral Health Needs Assessment of Children, we computed the prevalence of ECC using various definitions and fitted logistic regression models to explore the effect of race/ethnicity on ECC, separately for HS and non-HS children, adjusting for bedtime feeding habits and other covariates. RESULTS: Among 2,520 children, the largest proportion with a history of falling asleep sipping milk/sweet substance was among Latinos/Hispanics (72% among HS and 65% among non-HS) and HS Asians (56%). HS Asians and Latinos/Hispanics had the largest prevalence of ECC (30%-33%) and untreated caries (49%-54%). The estimated risk for ECC was more than three times higher in HS Asians compared to HS whites and among non-HS African Americans and Asians compared to non-HS whites controlling for socioeconomic status variables. The risk of ECC was also significantly higher among children who fell asleep while sipping milk or any sweet substance compared to those who did not. CONCLUSION: Studies of the cultural/behavioral patterns that may be specific to ethnic subgroups with the highest risk for ECC seem essential to the development of effective prevention strategies.     

Pattern and severity of early childhood caries

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between selected social and behavioural variables and the pattern and severity of early childhood caries (ECC) within a community child population. METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of 2515 children aged 4-5 years were examined in a preschool setting using decayed, missing, filled teeth/surface (dmft/dmfs) indices and a self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding social, demographic, birth, infant feeding, oral and general health attitudes. Children with caries (847) were divided into anterior or posterior caries pattern groups and severe (dmfs score > or =6) or non-severe (dmfs score <6) caries groups. The data were analysed using a chi-square test and modelled using a logistic regression procedure. RESULTS: Significant variables associated with anterior ECC pattern were ethnicity other than Caucasian (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.4-3.1), sipping from the bottle during the day (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.3-2.7), male gender (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2-2.2) and sleeping with a bottle at night (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2). Significant variables associated with severe ECC form were sipping from the bottle during the day (OR = 2, 95% CI = 1.4-2.8), maternal age at birth < or =24 years (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3-2.7), ethnicity other than Caucasian (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.5) and sleeping with a bottle at night (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2). CONCLUSIONS: Infant bottle-feeding habits (either allowing a child to sip from a bottle during the day or put to sleep at night) and ethnicity other than Caucasian were significant determinants for both anterior caries pattern and severity of ECC in 4-5-year-old Australian children.     

维生素D水平与低龄儿童龋风险的相关性分析

目的探讨维生素D水平与低龄儿童龋(early childhood caries,ECC)发生风险的相关性分析,为ECC儿童的一级预防提供依据。方法收集389名6~48月龄儿童的月龄、喂养方式、口腔健康行为等资料,记录龋、失、补指数(decayed?missing?filled teeth,dmft),分为ECC组(n=146)和无龋组(n=243),采集指尖末梢血检测维生素D体内活性形式--25?羟维生素D[25(OH)D],采集牙菌斑行龋活跃性检验检测龋态(Cariostat)值,Logistic回归分析25(OH)D等龋相关因素与ECC发生风险的相关性。结果25(OH)D缺乏、不足、正常的儿童的患龋率差异无统计学意义(c2=2.320,P=0.313)。dmft与25(OH)D水平之间无相关(dmft=1~3,r<0.001,P>0.05;dmft>3,r=0.009,P>0.05)。而月龄(OR=1.082,95%CI:1.045~1.121,P<0.001)、出生后6个月内母乳喂养(OR=2.789,95%CI:1.581~4.921,P<0.001)、吃夜奶或含乳头睡(OR=4.187,95%CI:1.938~9.048,P<0.001)、1.5~3.0的高Cariostat值(OR=4.173,95%CI:2.014~8.646,P<0.001)是ECC的风险因素。结论25(OH)D水平与6~48月龄儿童龋无相关性,而月龄、出生后6个月内母乳喂养、吃夜奶或含乳头睡、高龋活跃性(Cariostat值1.5~3.0)是ECC的风险因素,提倡母乳喂养的同时,应为幼儿树立良好的喂养习惯及口腔卫生习惯。     

Caries prevalence and distribution, and oral health habits of zero- to four-year-old children in Macau, China

This study sought to determine the prevalence of early childhood caries and the oral health habits of children ages 0 to 4 years in Macau, China vs. children in Hong Kong. Caregivers of 353 children from 7 nursery centers completed a questionnaire, and dental personnel examined their children with a light and disposable mouth mirror. The children's mean age was 2.8 +/- 0.6 years. Using the diagnostic criterion that cavitation was evidence of dental caries, the caries prevalence was 18%. When the age range was narrowed to 1.8 to 3.5 years, the caries prevalence was 19% in Macau children compared to 17% in Hong Kong children. No statistically significant relationship existed among caries prevalence, feeding habits, or oral hygiene habits, supporting the notion that the etiology of ECC is multifactorial. The similarity of caries prevalence in these 2 populations may result from the effects of cultural norms on the dental habits of the children.