Comparison of data on Early Childhood Caries (ECC) with previous data for Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) in an Italian kindergarten population.

AIM: This was to assess the prevalence of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) among preschool children attending nursery schools and to compare the results with those of a previous survey where the investigators used the term and diagnosis for Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) syndrome. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 1006 children aged 1-6 years was carried out. WHO recommendations for oral health surveys were used for caries diagnosis (non cavitated lesions were excluded). In addition, a comparison was made for prevalence of ECC between immigrant and native born children. Data were compared for ECC in the present survey with BBTD data in a previous study (1994) in the same area with a sample of 401 children aged 4 years. All examinations were by one examiner (Cohen's Kappa=0.96). RESULTS: Of the 1006 children originally selected 52 children aged more than 71 months were excluded according to published ECC definition and diagnostic criteria. The overall sample was 29 children aged <36 months; 271 aged 3 years; 364 aged 4 years and 290 aged 5 years. ECC was diagnosed in 19.7% of the overall sample. The prevalence of ECC (and S-ECC) were respectively by age: <36 months S-ECC=17.2%; at 3 years: 13.28% (6.64%); at 4 years: 18.95% (9.34%); at 5 years: 26.9% (12.75%). In the native born children (916) the ECC was 18.34%, while in immigrants (38) it was 52.63% (p<0.001). In 1994 the prevalence of BBTD syndrome was 11.9% and in the present study 6.5%. CONCLUSION: The ECC prevalence, as, ECC and severe (S-ECC),increased with age. In immigrant children ECC was 3 times (S-ECC 6 times) more frequent than in native born. Using the BBTD diagnosis the prevalence had dropped from 11.9% in 1994 to 6.5% in the present survey.     

An evaluation of NHANES III estimates of early childhood caries

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to estimate and evaluate the prevalence for the United States of early childhood caries (ECC) among children 12 to 23 months of age. METHODS: The 1988-94 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) public-use data set was analyzed using SUDAAN. Two ECC case definitions were used. Definition #1 was restricted to the caries score called by the examiner. Definition #2 liberally included children identified by definition #1 and those possibly having questionable caries scores. RESULTS: The NHANES III six-year prevalence estimates of caries in the maxillary anterior incisors of children 12 to 23 months of age were 1.0 percent for definition #1 and 1.7 percent for definition #2. Mexican-American and economically disadvantaged children were disproportionally represented with ECC. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ECC among children 12 to 23 months of age is barely detectable at the national level. Alternative study designs and improved case definitions are needed for further advances in ECC.     

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。     

上海市3岁儿童婴幼儿龋患病现状和特点分析

目的调查上海市3岁儿童婴幼儿龋（early childhood caries,ECC）患病现状和特点,为上海市婴幼儿的龋病防治工作提供参考依据。方法采用多阶段分层随机抽样方法抽取上海市中心和非中心城区600名3岁儿童进行检查,并对检查结果进行统计学分析。结果受检600名儿童龋均为2.17±3.18,龋面均为2.99±5.30,龋蚀严重度指数为6.53±10.91;ECC患病率为49.00%,重度婴幼儿龋（severe early childhood caries,SECC）患病率为27.83%（167/600）,SECC患龋儿童占患龋总人数的56.80%（167/294）。中心城区和非中心城区儿童ECC患病率分别为42.33%和55.67%,差异有统计学意义（χ2=10.671,P=0.001）。非中心城区儿童ECC龋均明显高于中心城区,差异有统计学意义（F=4.307,P〈0.05）;非中心城区儿童ECC龋蚀严重度指数明显高于中心城区,差异有统计学意义（F=4.400,P〈0.05）。ECC龋齿充填构成比为3.92%,中心城区和非中心城区分别为5.44%和2.74%,差异有统计学意义（χ2=6.211,P=0.013）。上海市3岁儿童ECC龋蚀牙位分布以上颌乳中切牙和下颌乳磨牙为主。结论上海市3岁儿童ECC患病状况严重,应加强对上海市婴幼儿龋病的早期干预。     

Prevalence and trends in periodontitis in the USA: the [corrected] NHANES, 1988 to 2000

Trends in periodontal diseases in the USA have been documented for years. However, the results have been mixed, mostly due to different periodontal assessment protocols. This study examined change in the prevalence of periodontitis between the NHANES III and the NHANES 1999-2000, and differences in the prevalence of periodontitis among racial/ethnic groups in the USA. Analysis was limited to non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and Mexican-American adults aged 18+ yrs in the NHANES III (n=12,088) or the NHANES 1999-2000 (n=3214). The prevalences of periodontitis for the NHANES III and the NHANES 1999-2000 were 7.3% and 4.2%, respectively. In multivariable analyses, blacks were 1.88 times (95%CI: 1.42, 2.50) more likely to have periodontitis than whites surveyed in the NHANES III. However, the odds of periodontitis for blacks and Mexican-Americans did not differ from those for whites surveyed in the NHANES 1999-2000. Our findings indicate that the prevalence of periodontitis has decreased between the NHANES III and the NHANES 1999-2000 for all racial/ethnic groups in the USA.     

Parental risk attitudes and caries-related behaviours among immigrant and western native children in Oslo

OBJECTIVES: Immigrant children make up a large proportion of the school populations in many western cities. It is likely that their parents have different attitudes and knowledge of dental health than resident populations, and thus provide a challenge to public dental services. This study sought to map existing disparities in oral health among immigrant and western native children in Oslo and to identify differences in parental, cultural and ethnic beliefs and attitudes towards oral health and caries-related behaviours. METHODS: Caries was recorded of 735 children (3- and 5-year olds), supplemented with radiographs among 5-year olds. Their parents responded to a questionnaire. RESULTS: Immigrant background, consumption of sweet drinks at bed and social status were the dominant caries risk indicators among the 3-year olds. Among the 5-year olds, the caries risk indicators were immigrant background, parental indulgence, attitude to diet, attitude to oral hygiene, social status and age starting toothbrushing. Being an immigrant was closely associated with higher caries prevalence and experience. Parental attitudes to oral hygiene, diet and indulgence, and caries-related behaviours distinguished immigrants from western natives. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that immigrant groups in western societies require different information packages, modified strategies for forming oral hygiene habits and attitudes related to dental care of children, and encouragement to exercise discipline on factors known to be risks for oral health. These strategies must recognize that immigrants and western natives attach different levels of importance to oral health and dental parameters. It should be paid extra attention to some caries high-risk subgroups.     

Dental caries among disadvantaged 3- to 4-year-old children in northern Manhattan

PURPOSE: The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC), untreated caries, and the ratio of posterior to anterior caries in a disadvantaged predominantly Hispanic or African-American urban population. Data are compared to NHANES III to assess the caries burden in our cohort. Comparisons are made to the aggregate and to minorities within the national database. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for children enrolled in a Head Start or day care program in the communities of Washington-Heights and Central and East Harlem and seen on the community organization's mobile dental van between 1995 and 1997. The study included only children 3 to 4 years of age at the initial examination (n=1,605). A single examiner provided all the examinations. The mean number of decayed and filled surfaces (dfs), decayed surfaces (ds) and filled surfaces (fs), the percentage of decayed of total decayed and filled surfaces (%d/dfs), decayed and filled teeth (dft), decayed teeth (dt) and filled teeth (ft), and the percentage of decayed of total decayed and filled teeth (%d/dft) were calculated. Posterior vs anterior d, f, dft, dfs and d-anterior/total d, and d-posterior/total d were tabulated. Northern Manhattan data was tabulated and compared to NHANES III (1988-1994) in the aggregate and for subpopulations categorized by gender and ethnicity. All results are also reported for children with at least one decayed or filled tooth. T-tests were used to assess for significant differences. RESULTS: There was even representation of males (50%) and females (50%). Mean dft was 1.08 overall, and 3.14 for children with dft>0. The level of untreated decay, %d/ dft, was 91%, significantly higher than the US national population which is 76% overall, and 76% for African Americans and Mexican Americans within the US national population. CONCLUSIONS: The children in this population have higher caries prevalence and a higher level of untreated caries than the national means as reported in NHANES III. The high level of untreated decay found in this particularly disadvantaged community suggests that enhanced dental services targeting the very young are needed in these communities.     

上海市2岁幼儿龋病现状和危险因素的初步分析

目的调查分析上海市2岁幼儿龋病患病现状及其危险因素,为上海市幼儿龋病的早期防治提供依据。方法采用多阶段随机抽样方法抽取上海市576名2岁幼儿进行龋病检查和相关饮食喂养习惯的问卷调查,并对结果进行统计学分析。结果上海市576名2岁幼儿乳牙患龋率为18.40%,龋均为0.61,龋面均为0.84。高频率摄取甜食和非定时喂养是幼儿龋病发生的重要危险因素。结论对家长进行早期口腔健康教育,养成合理的饮食喂养习惯是预防幼儿龋病的重要措施。     

Caries status and overweight in 2- to 18-year-old US children: findings from national surveys

Abstract – Background: The prevalence of overweight children in the United States continues to increase. Objectives: To examine the relationship between being overweight and caries in primary and permanent dentition in a nationally representative sample of children. Methods: Data from the NHANES III (1988–1994) were analyzed using logistic regression and controlling for potential confounders for 10 180 children 2–18 years of age and from the NHANES 1999–2002 for 7568 children 2–18 years of age. Results: For children 2–5 years of age, there was no difference in caries experience among normal weight, at risk for overweight or overweight children for NHANES III and for NHANES 1999–2002. For children 6–11 years of age (NHANES III), at risk for overweight and overweight children were less likely to have caries experience in the primary dentition than normal weight children; overweight children were less likely to have caries experience in the permanent dentition than normal weight children. For children 12–18 years of age (NHANES III), overweight children were less likely to have caries experience in the permanent dentition than normal weight children. For children 6–11 years of age and 12–18 years of age (NHANES 1999–2002), there was no difference in having caries experience among normal, at risk for overweight and overweight children. Conclusions: The data from NHANES III and NHANES 1999–2002 provide no evidence to suggest that overweight children are at an increased risk for dental caries. Although no differences in caries rates by weight were found in younger children, interestingly results from NHANES III suggest that being overweight may be associated with decreased rates of caries in older children.     

Oral health disparities in children of immigrants: dental caries experience at enrollment and during follow-up in the New England Children's Amalgam Trial

OBJECTIVES: Previous research shows increased dental decay among immigrants, but little is known about the oral health of the growing population of children of immigrants. We compared the children of immigrants to the children of US-born caregivers in their caries experience at enrollment and their new caries increments during the 5-year New England Children's Amalgam Trial (NECAT). METHODS: NECAT recruited 283 Boston-area children aged 6 to 10 with untreated caries and offered free semiannual preventive and restorative dental care during the trial. Sociodemographic factors and caregiver immigrant status were assessed through interviews. Multivariate negative binomial models evaluated the association between caregiver immigrant status and clinically assessed carious surfaces. RESULTS: Forty percent of these Boston-area children had immigrant caregivers. At baseline, the children of immigrants had more carious surfaces (11.5 versus 9.4, adjusted for race/ethnicity, age, gender, and caregiver smoking status). Caregiver language preference explained some of this association. Immigrant status and language preference were not associated with 5-year caries increments. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalent disparities in the unmet dental needs of the immigrants' children were quickly ameliorated during participation in NECAT Dental initiatives that target neighborhoods and are sensitive to acculturation levels may help improve and maintain the oral health of immigrant families.     

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.     

Acute-phase inflammatory response to periodontal disease in the US population

Moderate elevation of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease among apparently healthy individuals, although factors that create this inflammatory response in the absence of systemic illness have not been clarified. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate associations among periodontal disease, established risk factors for elevated CRP, and CRP levels within the US population; and (2) determine whether total tooth loss is associated with reduced CRP. Data were obtained from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A random sample of the US population was interviewed in their homes and examined at mobile examination centers. CRP was quantified from peripheral blood samples and analyzed as a continuous variable and as the prevalence of elevated CRP (> or = 10 mg/L). Some 12,949 people aged 18+ years who had periodontal examinations and an additional 1,817 edentulous people aged 18+ years were included in the analysis. Dentate people with extensive periodontal disease (> 10% of sites with periodontal pockets 4+ mm) had an increase of approximately one-third in mean CRP and a doubling in prevalence of elevated CRP compared with periodontally healthy people. Raised CRP levels among people with extensive periodontal disease persisted in multivariate analyses (P < 0.01), with established risk factors for elevated CRP (diabetes, arthritis, emphysema, smoking, and anti-inflammatory medications) and sociodemographic factors controlled for. However, CRP levels were similarly raised in edentulous people. Furthermore, the established risk factors for elevated CRP modified relationships between oral status and CRP levels. Periodontal disease and edentulism were associated with systemic inflammatory response in the US population, most notably among people who had no established risk factors for elevated CRP.     

Determining the prevalence and risk factors for early childhood caries in a community dental health clinic

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to: (1) determine the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) among young children accessing dental services at a community dental clinic; (2) identify factors associated with the presence of ECC; and (3) determine the percentage of children who received treatment for ECC in this setting and the number who required referral to specialists. METHODS: The study population comprised children younger than 72 months attending the clinic between 1991 and 2004. A chart review was conducted. RESULTS: Eight hundred thirty-four charts met inclusion criteria; 71% had ECC, while the mean deft was 3.7+/-3.9 (SD). The average age at the first visit was 50.0+/-12.7 (SD) months. Those with ECC were significantly older at the first visit (P<.001), and the prevalence increased with family size (P=.011) and number of siblings (P=.019). ECC children were significantly more likely to come from households with lower monthly incomes (P=.033). The prevalence of ECC did not vary according to specific areas in Winnipeg where children resided (P=.20). CONCLUSIONS: Key risk factors for ECC included: (1) the child's sex; (2) low monthly income; (3) whether the child resided with both parents; and (4) a history of foiled dental visits. These data may assist in identifying children at greatest risk for ECC and may help public health agencies develop appropriate prevention strategies, including promoting early dental visits for infants.     

Caries experience among Chinese-American children in Manhattan Chinatown

There is little research on the oral health status of Chinese-American (CA) children in the U.S. and Asian/Pacific Islanders in general. The purpose of this study was to characterize the dental caries experience of a CA child population in Manhattan Chinatown, New York City. A five-year chart review of 545 initial dental exams of patients aged 2 to 11 was conducted at a community clinic serving an immigrant CA population. DMFT/dft were compared to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and analyzed for associations among birthplace, language and untreated tooth decay at recall. Subject mean dft was higher compared to NHANES data both in aggregate and ethnic/race subgroups. Subjects had lower DMFT ccmpared to the national data. Significant difference was found between U.S. and non-U.S.-born mean dft. Asian Pacific Islander Americans include a fast-growing immigrant pediatric population at high risk for tooth decay.     

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。     

Oral contraceptives and periodontal diseases: rethinking the association based upon analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data

BACKGROUND: Historic evidence suggests that use of high-dose combined oral contraceptives (OCs) (containing >50 microg of estrogen and>or=1mg progestin) places women at increased risk for periodontal diseases. Since the mid-1970s, OC formulations have dramatically changed. This study investigated the association between OC use and periodontal diseases among 4,930 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) I and 5,001 NHANES III premenopausal U.S. women, aged 17 to 50 years, before and after the reduction of hormone levels in OCs. METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study came from the first (NHANES I, 1971 to 1974) and third (NHANES III, 1988 to 1994) NHANES studies. RESULTS: The prevalence of OC use in the U.S. premenopausal female population in NHANES I was 22% and in NHANES III, 20%. Using multivariable logistic regression, a protective association between current OC use and gingivitis was suggestive but not significant in both NHANES I (odds ratio [OR]=0.65; 95% con- fidence interval [CI]: 0.42 to 1.01) and NHANES III (OR=0.80; 95% CI: 0.61 to 1.02) surveys. Current OC use was also associated with a decreased risk of periodontal disease in NHANES I (OR=0.36; 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.96) and a non-significant association in NHANES III (OR=0.73; 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.07). CONCLUSION: This analysis failed to validate the theory that earlier high- or current low-dose OC use is associated with increased levels of gingivitis or periodontitis and suggests an important reexamination of the perceived association between OC use and periodontal diseases.     

Trends in total caries experience: permanent and primary teeth

BACKGROUND: This article is the last in a series of three that focuses on recent changes in the caries status of children aged 18 years or younger in the United States. METHODS: This study is based on analyses of data regarding total carious (treated and untreated) permanent and primary teeth among children 6 to 18 years old and children 2 to 10 years old from the first and third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, or NHANES I and NHANES III. The NHANES is periodically conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: The cumulative number of carious permanent teeth, both treated and untreated, among 6- to 18-year-olds decreased 57.2 percent, from 4.44, as measured in NHANES I, to 1.90, as measured in NHANES III. The cumulative number of carious primary teeth, both treated and untreated, among 2- to 10-year-olds decreased 39.7 percent, from 2.29, as measured in NHANES I, to 1.38, as measured in NHANES III. CONCLUSIONS: Since the 1970s, the cumulative number of carious permanent and primary teeth, both treated and untreated, has declined substantially among children in the United States. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Effective prevention has reduced caries in children. As a result, dental practice will be more focused on maintaining intact dentitions than on repairing teeth damaged by disease.     

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.     

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.     

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.