The impact of dental caries and trauma in children on family quality of life

Abstract – Objectives: To assess the impact of children’s dental caries (DC) and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) on parents’ quality of life (QoL), adjusted by family income. Methods: Parents of 219 children aged 5 and 6 years answered the Family Impact Scale (FIS) on their perception of QoL and data about income. Three calibrated dentists examined the severity of DC according to decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth index, and children were categorized into: 0 = caries free; 1–5 = low severity; and ≥6 = high severity. TDI were classified into uncomplicated and complicated injuries. QoL was measured through FIS items and total score, and Poisson regression was used to associate the variables with the outcome. Results: Severity of DC showed a negative impact on the total score and subscales on parental/family activities, parental emotions and financial burden (P < 0.001). TDI showed a negative impact on total score and in some FIS items. The multivariate‐adjusted model showed that only the increase in the severity of children’s DC (RR = 3.19; 95% CI = 2.36, 4.31; P < 0.001) was associated with a greater negative impact on parents’ QoL, while high family income was a protective factor (RR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.48, 0.95; P < 0.001). Conclusions: The severity of children’s DC has a negative impact on parents’ QoL, whereas TDI do not. A lower family income might have a negative impact on parents’ QoL.     

Impact of oral diseases and disorders on oral‐health‐related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of oral diseases and disorders on the oral‐health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children with CP, adjusting this impact by socioeconomic factors. Data were collected from 60 pairs of parents–children with CP. Parents answered the child oral health quality of life questionnaire (parental‐caregivers perception questionnaire and family impact scale) and a socioeconomic questionnaire. Dental caries experience, traumatic dental injuries, malocclusions, bruxism, and dental fluorosis were also evaluated. The multivariate adjusted model showed that dental caries experience (p < 0.001) and the presence of bruxism had a negative impact (p = 0.046) on the OHRQoL. A greater family income had a positive impact on it (p < 0.001). Dental caries experience and bruxism are conditions strongly associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL of children with CP and their parents, but a higher family income can improve this negative impact.     

Oral health in 12‐ to 17‐year‐old athletes participating in the German Special Olympics

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 451–457 Background. There is a lack of actual data regarding oral health in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Aim. To evaluate the oral health in adolescents with intellectual disabilities participating in the German Special Olympics games 2008. Methods. A free voluntary dental examination was offered to the participating athletes. Dental examinations were performed according to WHO criteria by dental clinicians. In addition, information about the athletes’ oral hygiene habits was collected. Results. The number of adolescent athletes aged between 12 and 17 years who had their teeth examined was 160. On average they were 15.3 years old. Caries prevalence was 58.1% and the mean DMFT was 2.3. The mean number of fissure sealed teeth was 2.5. About half of the participants showed signs of gum inflammation. The proportion of the adolescents living at home with their parents was 88%. More than 90% of them brushed their teeth by themselves without assistance. Conclusions. Adolescents with intellectual disabilities seem to have benefited from various caries preventive measures which had been introduced during the last two decades in Germany but still have a poorer oral health than the general population. More specific prevention programmes seeking close cooperation with parents, custodians, and caretakers should be developed.     

Comparison of the caries-preventive effect of a glass ionomer sealant and fluoride varnish on newly erupted first permanent molars of children with and without dental caries experience

Abstract

Purpose: This longitudinal clinic study evaluated the effect of a glass ionomer sealant (GIS) and a fluoride varnish (FV) in the prevention of dental decay on newly erupted permanent molars of children with and without caries experience. Materials and methods: Eighty children, aged 6–8 years, with all four newly erupted first permanent molars, were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 53 children without caries experience and group 2 consisted of 27 children with dental caries experience. Permanent molars of the right side were sealed with GIS and the fluoride varnish was applied on the other two permanent first molars. Evaluation of GIS retention and the effectiveness of both materials in the prevention of dental caries were performed after 6, 12 and 18 months. Results: After 18 months, of the 299 teeth, 271 (91%) showed no caries lesions and 28 presented caries lesions (9%). Teeth sealed with GIS had more carious lesions (15) than teeth with fluoride varnish (13). Most of the teeth (70%) that presented carious lesions were in group 2. Of the 138 sealed teeth, only one showed GIS to be totally present, 95 were partially present and 42 teeth were absent. Conclusion: The caries-preventive effect was very similar between both treatments. The presence of dental caries prevailed in the children with caries experience.     

The relationship between obesity and dental caries according to life style factors in schoolchildren: a case-control study

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the association between obesity and dental caries in terms of life-style habits and socio-economic status in Turkish school children.

Materials and methods: This case-control study was undertaken with 178 children aged 6–11 years in a Turkish government children’s hospital. The case group consisted of 86 obese children who were categorized in ≥95 percentile according to the BMI. The control group consisted of 90 non-obese children that would not raise any doubts about the teeth disease. Data of demographic features and life-style habits were obtained by a questionnaire at the dental examination. Caries experience was measured with DMFT and dmft indices.

Results: No difference was found between obesity and caries prevalence in primary dentition (p?=?.957); however, there was a statistically significant association in the permanent dentition (p?=?.002). Also, no differences were found in children with healthy natural teeth between the study groups according to education level, family income and food consumption during TV viewing in primary dentition (p?=?.297; p?=?.652; p?=?.023).

Conclusions: It can be concluded that obesity appears to be not a possible risk factor for dental caries in primary dentition, but would be a probable endangerment in the permanent dentition.     

Evaluation of a generic quality of life instrument for early childhood caries-related pain

Abstract – Objective: This prospective study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Infant and Toddler Child Quality of Life Questionnaire (ITQOL) by comparing quality of life (QOL) of two groups of children afflicted with early childhood dental caries with a caries‐free group. Methods: A convenience sample of 150 children divided into three groups (mean age [months] 51 ± 15) was studied. Group I (OR) had extensive dental caries and were waiting for several months for treatment under general anesthesia. Group II were children who sought emergency services for acute odontogenic pain/abscess, and group III were children who were caries‐free new patients. Parents/caretakers were administered the ITQOL, which assesses a child’s physical, emotional and social well being from the parent/guardian’s perspective. Results: The ITQOL had high success in item validity with good reliability. Significant differences in QOL were noted for scales of pain and discomfort, behavior and moods, global behavior, and impact on parental time (P ≤ 0.05) among the three groups. No significant differences were noted for scales of growth and development, general health and impact on parents’ emotional and mental health. Conclusions: The ITQOL proved to be a useful instrument for characterizing QOL in this dental caries‐afflicted sample. Overall, children with chronic and acute dental caries had a poorer QOL than caries‐free children in areas of behavior, mood, pain and parental impact.     

Influence of anti‐asthmatic medications on dental caries in children in Slovenia

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2013; 23: 188–196 Objective. The study investigated the influence of exposure to anti‐asthmatic medications and of various factors on the caries prevalence in children in Slovenia. Methods. The study population consisted of children aged 2‐ to 17 years (n = 220) under treatment for asthma, who had used anti‐asthmatic medications for at least 1 year; 220 controls were matched for age. Caries status was determined by the number of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces through clinical examination by two calibrated dentists using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System‐II scoring criteria. Questionnaires completed by parents and data from the patients’ medical records provided information on various confounding factors. Results. Asthmatic children had significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) prevalence of caries on primary and permanent teeth in all age groups, and the proportion of caries‐free children was significantly smaller (P ≤ 0.05). In multivariate regression analysis, asthma diagnosis, child’s age, daily use of inhaled glucocorticoids, length and frequency of medicine application, spacer use, mouth rinsing with water after medicine application, parents’ education, frequent food and drink consumption, and frequency of toothbrushing were associated with caries experience of asthmatic children. Conclusion. Children with asthma who had used anti‐asthmatic medications had higher caries experience in primary and permanent teeth.     

Oral health of children with gastro-esophageal reflux disease: a controlled study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the dental health of children with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) with a healthy control group. METHODS: Dental examinations were conducted for 52 children (31 boys and 21 girls) with a definitive history of GERD. For every subject enrolled in the study, a healthy control sibling without the condition was recruited. Medical histories were obtained from medical records, and dental and dietary histories were obtained from parents. The teeth were examined for erosion, dental caries, and enamel hypoplasia, and sampled for Streptococcus mutans. RESULTS: The prevalence of erosion by teeth was found to be statistically significant between GERD patients (14 per cent) and controls (10 per cent) (p<0.05). GERD patients had erosion in more permanent teeth compared to controls (4 per cent vs 0.8 per cent, p<0.05), and more severe erosion (p<0.05). Caries experience was also higher in GERD patients compared to controls (p<0.05). Although there were more subjects with Streptococcus mutans in the GERD group compared to the control group (42 per cent vs 25 per cent), the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Children with GERD have more erosion and dental caries compared to healthy controls and should be targeted for increased preventive and restorative care.     

Dental caries experience and Molar-Incisor Hypomineralization

Abstract

Objective. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence and severity of the enamel defects, known as Molar-Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) and its relationship to dental caries. Materials and methods. A sample of 1157 schoolchildren (population based), aged 6–12 years, of the Araraquara city-Brazil, was evaluated according to the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) criteria by two trained examiners. The dental impact caused by MIH was evaluated with the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index (WHO). Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Chi-square tests (p < 0.05). The socioeconomic status was collected using a questionnaire answered by parents. Results. The prevalence of MIH was 12.3%. Mild impairment was the most frequent diagnosis. DMFT of children with MIH was 0.89 (±1.18), which are higher than those of the unaffected group (0.43 ± 1.01). An association was found between dental caries only in the permanent dentition of children with MIH (p = 0.0001). Family income was considered low in 85% of the families of children with MIH in the public system, while in private school it was 18% (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The prevalence of MIH in Araraquara was associated with greater caries experience in the permanent dentition.     

Caries risk profile of Korean dental patients with severe intellectual disabilities

This study evaluated the caries risk profile of patients with severe intellectual disabilities (IDs) who received dental treatment under general anesthesia. One hundred and two patients with ID [ID group, mean age (SD); 23.8(9.3)] and 100 healthy patients without ID [NID group, mean age (SD); 23.19(3.3)] were included. Medication, disability type, oral hygiene maintenance, and cooperation of the patients were investigated. Dietary habits, plaque index, mutans streptococci counts, fluoride availability, and salivary buffering were scored and analyzed using the Cariogram. The mean chance of avoiding caries (SD) was 28.1(20.4) in the ID group and 54.7(18.4) in the NID group. The ID group had significantly higher numbers of decayed and missing teeth, but fewer filled teeth than the NID group (p < .05). Significant disparities existed in the distributions of all caries‐related factors except for mutans streptococci counts between the two groups (p < .05). The low chance to avoid future caries in ID patients was closely associated with insufficient oral hygiene maintenance (p < .05). Fluoride availability was strongly associated with the chance of avoiding caries in the ID group. Dental patients with severe ID exhibited a higher risk of developing caries than normal patients. Among several caries‐related factors, insufficient oral hygiene maintenance and low fluoride availability most contributed to the high risk.     

Intra-oral distribution and impact of caries experience among South Australian school children

A bstract — This report describes the intra-oral distribution of caries and frequency of reported toothache using data from 9690 South Australian children aged 5–15 years. School dental therapists and dentists recorded dmfs and DMFS data and a questionnaire to parents sought information about toothache and its impact. There were higher levels of cartes experience in deciduous teeth (mean 6-year-old dmfs=2.61) compared with permanent teeth (mean 12-year-old DMFS=1.15). In the deciduous dentition: between 11.4 per cent (9-year-olds) and 37.7 per cent (5-year-olds) of total dmfs was present as untreated decay; between 39.1 per cent (7-year-olds) and 42.8 per cent (10-year-olds) occurred on interproximal surfaces; and between 2.0 per cent (10-year-olds) and 27.8 per cent (5-year-olds) occurred in anterior teeth. In the permanent dentition, the majority of permanent caries experience occurred as fillings in pits and fissures of first molars and involved a single surface. Between 11.8 per cent (5-year-olds) and 31.8 per cent (12-year-olds) of children had a reported history of toothache, although the figure exceeded 50 per cent among children with all three forms of pit/fissure, interproximal and smooth-surface caries experience. The observed pattern of caries provides the basis for continued use of fissure sealants as a preventive measure among school children.     

Association between a child’s caries experience and the mother’s perception of her child’s oral health status

BackgroundMothers play a primary role in the health of their children. This role may be of particular importance for children in Appalachia who have increased caries relative to children in other regions of the United States. The authors examined the degree to which a child’s caries experience was in concordance with the mother’s perception of the health of her child’s teeth, and how concordance varied by sociodemographic factors.MethodsThe authors obtained cross-sectional data on mother-child dyads with children younger than 6 years through the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia study. They interviewed and clinically examined a community-based sample of 815 mother-child dyads from Pennsylvania and West Virginia. They used an unadjusted zero-inflated negative binomial model to estimate the association between a mother’s perception of her child’s oral health status and her child’s caries. The authors compared sociodemographic factors between concordant and nonconcordant mother-child dyads using χ² tests.ResultsThe mother’s perception of her child’s oral health status was associated with the child’s caries experience (P < .001). Two-thirds of mother-child dyads showed concordance between the mother’s perception of her child’s oral health status and the child’s caries experience (n = 522, 64%). Concordance was associated with younger child age and the child having dental insurance (P < .01).Conclusions and Practical ImplicationsOn average, mothers accurately perceived their child’s caries experience. This accuracy was higher for younger children and children with dental insurance. The mother’s awareness of her child’s oral health status could be used to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies, particularly for young children vulnerable to caries.     

四川省733名12岁儿童患龋状况2年追踪调查

目的 了解四川省12岁儿童组（1998年出生）在2010年和2011年的患龋状况，监测龋病的患病趋势，为四川省口腔卫生保健规划提供信息和科学依据。方法 根据WHO口腔健康调查基本方法，采用多阶段、分层随机抽样，抽取四川省 12岁儿童（1998年出生） 733名，对其患龋状况连续调查 2年（2010年和 2011年）。采用 SPSS 17.0软件进行统计学分析。结果 四川省 12岁儿童的患龋率、龋均及龋面均分别为 34.8％、 0.93、1.09，1年后儿童的患龋率、龋均及龋面均显著升高（44.3%、1.08、1.40）（P<0.01）。恒牙萌出数女性高于男性（P<0.05）。儿童 2010年和 2011年的显著性龋均指数分别为 2.54、2.90，龋补充填比分别为 4.2%、6.5%，1年间的龋齿发病率为 9.6%。结论 四川省12岁儿童恒牙的患龋率较高，随着年龄的增加患龋情况呈现上升趋势，龋病治疗情况差，龋齿发病率较高，应立即采取各种预防治疗措施以降低龋齿发病率。     

Impact of dental caries on quality of life among preschool children: emphasis on the type of tooth and stages of progression

The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries on the quality of life of preschool children and their parents/caretakers, with an emphasis on the type of tooth and stage of progression. A randomly selected sample of preschool children, 3–5 yrs of age, underwent an oral examination for the assessment of dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II (ICDAS II) criteria. Parents/caretakers answered two questionnaires, one on the oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of the child [the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS)], and the other on the socio‐economic characteristics of the family. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi‐square test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U‐test, and Poisson regression. A total of 451 preschool children participated in the study. The majority of carious lesions exhibited severe decay (60.6%) and were found in both anterior (incisors/canines) and posterior (molars) teeth. The final Poisson model revealed negative impacts on quality of life from more advanced stages of dental caries, both in incisors/canines and molars. Child's age and household income were also associated with impact on quality of life. Carious lesions in more advanced stages of progression in anterior and posterior teeth were associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of preschool children.     

A cohort study on prevalence of dental caries concerning primary schoolchildren in one village of Niigata Prefecture

To review the previous preventive measures against the incidence of dental caries in children, we started to examine the state of dental health in children at the age of 18 months. The annual dental examination continued up to 12 years of age (sixgraders). Enrolled in this study were a total of 225 children living in a Town T and born between 1980 and 1982. Meanwhile, we made surveys in order to gauge the degree to which the subjects and their parents have concern for oral health. The findings and their relationships to the caries incidence were analyzed using an epidemiological technique. The annual dental examinations revealed that in primary dentition the incidence of caries tends to increase in 3-year-olds while in permanent dentition the carious process extends in 4–6 graders. By kind of teeth, primary molars accounted for 52% of the affected deciduous teeth. First molars made up 72% of all the decayed permanent teeth. Using the two caries cumulative indexes developed by our department for recording the prevalence and severity of tooth decay in the deciduous dentition and in the permanent dentition, respectively, we found that there is a correlation between the incidence of caries in the deciduous dentition and that in the permanent teeth. The two formulae are based on the cumulative number of decayed teeth that appeared in the deciduous dentition and permanent dentition for a given period of time. In order to find whether there is any correlation between caries attack and attention paid to the risk factors, we divided the subjects into two groups by the number of decayed teeth per person. In the group made up of those with many carious teeth, it was noted that between-meal snacks are most likely to produce caries in deciduous teeth, while lifestyle affects permanentteth.

     

Caries and dental fluorosis in a western Saharan population of refugee children

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dental fluorosis and dental caries among western Saharan refugee children. The western Saharan child population is characterized by adverse living conditions, an unbalanced diet, poor oral hygiene habits, and a concentration of fluoride in the drinking water of around 2 p.p.m. (2 mg l^?1). A sample consisting of 360 children, 6–7 yr of age, and 212 children, 11–13 yr of age, was obtained from four refugee camps (Smara, Awsard, El‐Aaiun, and 27‐February) situated in the vicinity of Tindouf (southern Algeria). The children were examined using the World Health Organization criteria for caries diagnosis and Dean’s index for fluorosis. The decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT) score was 0.48 in the 6–7‐yr‐old children and 1.69 in the 11–13‐yr‐old children, with a caries prevalence (DMFT > 0 or decayed and filled primary teeth (dft) > 0) of 47.2% and 63.2%, respectively. Among the 6–7 yr‐old children examined, 36.9% were free of fluorosis, 15.6% presented moderate fluorosis, and 7.8% presented severe fluorosis. Among 11–13 yr‐old children, only 4.2% were free of fluorosis, 30.2% exhibited moderate fluorosis, and 27.4% presented severe fluorosis. The mean DMFT, decayed permanent teeth (DT), and caries prevalence (DMFT > 0 and DMFT or dft > 0) scores were significantly higher among the children affected by severe fluorosis, suggesting that severe fluorosis might increase the susceptibility to dental caries.     

Rural and urban disparities in caries prevalence in children with unmet dental needs: the New England Children's Amalgam Trial

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence of caries between rural and urban children with unmet dental health needs who participated in the New England Children's Amalgam Trial. METHODS: Baseline tooth and surface caries were clinically assessed in children from rural Maine (n = 243) and urban Boston (n = 291), who were aged 6 to 10 years, with two or more posterior carious teeth and no previous amalgam restorations. Statistical analyses used negative binomial models for primary dentition caries and zero-inflated models for permanent dentition caries. RESULTS: Urban children had a higher mean number of carious primary surfaces (8.5 versus 7.4) and teeth (4.5 versus 3.9) than rural children. The difference remained statistically significant after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and toothbrushing frequency. In permanent dentition, urban children were approximately three times as likely to have any carious surfaces or teeth. However, rural/urban dwelling was not statistically significant in the linear analysis of caries prevalence among children with any permanent dentition caries. Covariates that were statistically significant in all models were age and number of teeth. Toothbrushing frequency was also important for permanent teeth. Conclusions: Within this population of New England children with unmet oral health needs, significant differences were apparent between rural and urban children in the extent of untreated dental decay. Results indicate that families who agree to participate in programs offering reduced cost or free dental care may present with varying amounts of dental need based on geographic location.     

Association between body mass index and dental health in 1,290 children of elementary schools in a German city

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between caries frequency and body mass index (BMI) in German elementary school children. A total of 1,290 elementary school children (648 boys, 642 girls) were examined. The dental examination included the determination of caries frequency (DF-T/df-t values). The medical evaluation assessed the pupils’ general health and BMI. The study showed that 3.6% of the children were underweight, 74.8% had a normal weight, 11.9% were overweight, and 9.7% were obese. Underweight children showed natural healthy teeth in 44.7%, those with normal weight in 40.7%, whereas children with high weight and obese children showed natural healthy teeth in 30.5% and 31.7%, respectively. A significant association between high weight and caries frequency in the first dentition (p = 0.0067) and in the permanent dentition (p = 0.0002) could be observed. The association remains statistically significant after adjusting for age. The number of natural healthy teeth decreased with age (p = 0.001) and BMI (p = 0.0061) and was different between girls and boys (p = 0.0334). This study demonstrated a significant association between caries frequency and weight in school children. In future preventive programs, the importance of nutrition should not only be emphasized with respect to general diseases but also with regard to carious lesions.     

Impact of parental migration on oral health outcomes of left-behind school-aged children in Luchuan,southern China

Background

With rapid urbanization in China, an increasing number of rural adults have migrated to cities to seek job opportunities, leaving their school-aged children behind. These left-behind children (LBC) without one or both parents usually receive less attention from their caregivers. Whether the parental migration affects the children’s oral health is not well understood. This study aimed to explore the differences in dental caries status and oral health-related behaviors between children with different parental migration experiences in a rural area of Southern China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Luchuan County of Guangxi Province in 2015. A total of 1085 school children aged 8–12 participated in this study. Participants’ demographic characteristics, parental migration information, and eating and oral hygiene habits were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Dental caries of permanent teeth was examined using the decayed, missing, and filled tooth (DMFT) index recommended by the World Health Organization. Dental caries experience and oral health-related behaviors were compared between LBC and non-LBC, as well as children with different experiences of parental migrations. The impact of various parental migration attributes on LBC oral health outcomes was examined by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Among the school-aged children examined, 60.9% of them were LBC. Only 29.7% of the children brushed their teeth regularly; 86.5% of them did not know what fluoride toothpaste was. Caries prevalence was 51.4% for LBC and 40.8% for non-LBC (p <?0.001). The LBC experienced a greater DMFT mean (1.20?±?1.59) compared to the non-LBC (0.85?±?1.30) (p <?0.001). Oral health-related behaviors were not significantly different between LBC and non-LBC. Dental caries experience and oral health-related behaviors were not related to the type or duration of parental migration. Multiple regression analyses showed that parental migration was one of significant predictors of children’s caries outcome; LBC had a higher risk to caries than non-LBC (95% CI =1.26, 2.09).

Conclusions

These findings indicate that parental migration could be a significant risk factor for caries development among 8- to 12-year-old school children in rural China.

     

Caries increment over 2 years in preschool children: a life course approach

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2012; 22: 77–84 Background. Longitudinal study to investigate how the dental caries in primary teeth progress with increasing age is still lacking. Aims. To describe the development of new caries over 2 years and to identify risk factors that can predict new caries development. Design. A random sample of preschool children aged 3–4 years was surveyed and followed up when they reached 5–6 years of age in Hong Kong. Dental caries status was assessed using the dmft index. Negative binomial regression was performed to investigate the factors collected at baseline that could predict the caries increment over 2 years. Results. Totally 358 children attended both examinations. The mean caries increment over 2 years was 0.9. Results of the negative binomial regression showed that children who used nursing bottles during sleep when they were young (P = 0.013), whose toothbrushing began after 12 months (P = 0.005), who took snack once or more daily (P < 0.001), and whose parents had 9 or fewer years of education attainment (P = 0.002) had significantly higher caries increment. Conclusions. New caries development of Hong Kong preschool children was low. Children’s feeding, snaking and brushing habits, and parents’ education attainment were the significant predictors for new caries development of preschool children.