scholarly journals Oral Health Status of 3- to 5 -Year-old Children Attending Early Childhood Care and Development Centers in Bhutan: A Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
Dorji Phurpa ◽  
Sonam Ngedup ◽  
Deki Pem ◽  
Mary Alice Lee
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Caries Experience ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Early Childhood Care ◽  
Childhood Care ◽  
Childhood Caries

Introduction: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a common childhood dental disease worldwide. To date, dental disease prevalence in children in Bhutan is unknown. Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of early childhood caries and its modifiable risk factors. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 3-5-years old children attending Early Childhood Care and Development Centers in Bhutan. Mouth examination recorded teeth with decay (d), missing due to decay (m) and filled (f), to calculate caries experience (mean dmft and standard deviation=SD). Parents and caregivers were interviewed about their children’s oral health status, oral hygiene practices and diets among others. The prevalence of modifiable risk factors for disease was described based on parental responses. The association between decay and selected sociodemographic characteristics and oral health variables were investigated with bivariate analyses (X2). Results: Overall, 80.5% children had caries experience with mean dmft + or - SD (4.9 + 4.2). In fact, 79.9% had untreated decay. Only few had fillings as an evidence for availing dental care with mean filled 0.2 (SD=0.7). The percentage of decay increased significantly as maternal education increased and with low socioeconomic status (p=0.02). Conclusions: Early Childhood Caries are highly prevalent in Bhutan. Very few young children sought dental care. We recommend engaging relevant stakeholders in efforts to promote dental care and educate parents to use fluoridated toothpastes.

Parental Perspectives of Early Childhood Caries

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inyang A. Isong ◽  
Donna Luff ◽  
James M. Perrin ◽  
Jonathan P. Winickoff ◽  
Man Wai Ng
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Parental Perspectives ◽  
Health Assessments ◽  
History Of ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
Childhood Caries

Background. Parental perspectives of children with early childhood caries may help inform the development and improvement of caries prevention strategies. Objectives. This study aimed to explore parents’ experiences, perceptions, and expectations regarding prevention and management of early childhood caries. Methods. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 25 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, with a known history of caries. All interviews were transcribed and coded, and iterative analyses were conducted to identify key emergent themes within the data. Results. Parents had limited knowledge of behaviors contributing to early childhood caries and when to first seek regular dental care. Parents expected pediatricians to provide education on how to prevent childhood caries, conduct preliminary oral health assessments, and help establish early linkages between medical and dental care. Conclusion. The findings make a strong case for pediatricians to take responsibility for engaging and educating parents on fostering optimal oral health and helping to access early childhood dental care.

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

2008 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 468-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teerapong Mutarai ◽  
Wipapun Ritthagol ◽  
Jaranya Hunsrisakhun
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Feeding Habit ◽  
Caries Experience ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Oral Clefts ◽  
Southern Thailand ◽  
Childhood Caries

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.

scholarly journals Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing to Prevent Early Childhood Caries in American Indian Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.S. Batliner ◽  
T. Tiwari ◽  
W.G. Henderson ◽  
A.R. Wilson ◽  
S.E. Gregorich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Motivational Interviewing ◽  
American Indian ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Caries Experience ◽  
Indian Children ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Childhood Caries

Introduction: In a randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) combined with enhanced community services (MI + ECS) was compared with ECS alone for reducing dental caries in American Indian children on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The intervention was developed and delivered with extensive tribal collaboration. Methods: A total 579 mother-newborn dyads were enrolled and randomized to the MI + ECS and ECS groups. They were followed for 36 mo. Four MI sessions were provided, the first shortly after childbirth and then 6, 12, and 18 mo later. Both groups were exposed to ECS, which included public service announcements through billboards and tribal radio, as well as broad distribution of brochures on behavioral risk factors for early childhood caries (ECC), toothbrushes, and toothpaste. MI impact was measured as decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (dmfs). Secondary outcomes included decayed surfaces, caries prevalence, and maternal oral health knowledge and behaviors. Modified intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. Eighty-eight percent of mothers completed at least 3 of 4 MI sessions offered. Results: After 3 y, dmfs was not significantly different for the 2 groups (MI + ECS = 10, ECS = 10.38, P = 0.68). In both groups, prevalence of caries experience was 7% to 9% after 1 y, 35% to 36% at 2 y, and 55% to 56% at 3 y. Mean knowledge scores increased by 5.0, 5.3, and 5.9 percentage points at years 1, 2, and 3 in the MI + ECS group and by 1.9, 3.3, and 5.0 percentage points in the ECS group (P = 0.03), respectively. Mean maternal oral health behavior scores were not statistically significantly different between the treatment arms. Conclusion: In summary, the MI intervention appeared to improve maternal knowledge but had no effect on oral health behaviors or on the progression of ECC (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01116726). Knowledge Transfer Statement: The findings of this study suggest that motivational interviewing focusing on parental behaviors may not be as effective as previously hoped for slowing the development of childhood caries in some high-risk groups. Furthermore, social factors may be even more salient determinants of oral health than what we previously supposed, perhaps interfering with the capacity to benefit from behavioral strategies that have been useful elsewhere. The improvement of children’s oral health in high-risk populations characterized by poverty and multiple related life stresses may require more holistic approaches that address these formidable barriers.

scholarly journals Dental Health Evaluation of Children in Kosovo

2011 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. 032-039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agim Begzati ◽  
Kastriot Meqa ◽  
David Siegenthaler ◽  
Merita Berisha ◽  
Walter Mautsch
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
School Children ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Caries Prevalence ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Childhood Caries

ABSTRACTObjectives: The aim of this study was to assess caries prevalence of preschool and school children in Kosovo. Methods: The assessment, which was carried out between 2002 and 2005, included measurements of early childhood caries, deft and DMFT. Results: In total, 1,237 preschool and 2,556 school children were examined. The mean deft of preschool children was 5.9, and the mean DMFT of school children aged 12 was 5.8. The caries prevalence for 2- to 6-year-old preschool children was 91.2%, and the prevalence for 7- to 14-yearold school children was 94.4%. The prevalence of early childhood caries was 17.6%, with a mean deft of 10.6. Conclusions: All data assessed showed the very poor oral health status of children in Kosovo. Interviews with children and teachers indicated poor knowledge regarding oral health. Significant measures must be taken to improve this situation. (Eur J Dent 2011;5:32-39)

scholarly journals Timing of sugar introduction in diet and early childhood caries: a population-based study in preschoolers

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Nilson ALVES DOS SANTOS ◽  
Cacilda Castelo Branco LIMA ◽  
Ananda Souza PEREIRA ◽  
Marina de Deus Moura LIMA ◽  
Lúcia de Fátima Almeida de Deus MOURA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Caries ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Caries Experience ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Introduction Sugar ingestion is the most important isolated factor related to dental caries. Contact with sugary foods at an early age may represent a risk to the oral health of preschool children. Objective To evaluate the timing of the introduction of sugar in the diet of preschoolers and its association with early childhood caries. Material and method Cross-sectional population-based study with 888 five-year-old preschoolers from public and private schools. Parents answered a questionnaire on sociodemographic data, eating habits and oral health. The variables timing of sugar introduction (>1 year and ≤1 year) and dental caries experience were dichotomized and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Poisson regression (p<0.05). Result The introduction of sugar in the diet occurred during the first twelve months of life for 73.8% of preschoolers. There was no association between the timing of sugar introduction and early childhood caries (p>0.05). The interruption of exclusive breastfeeding and low family income increased the prevalence of preschoolers having early contact with sugar by 32% and 23%, respectively (p<0.05). The prevalence of early childhood caries was 42.3% and was associated with a lower level of maternal education, low income, increased frequency of ingestion of candy and the use of nonfluoridated toothpaste (p<0.05). Conclusion The introduction of sugar in the diet occurred during the first year of life in most preschoolers and there was no association with early childhood caries.

scholarly journals Long-term effectiveness of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service Program on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours and the oral health status of children in Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajesh George ◽  
Ariana Kong ◽  
Mariana Sousa ◽  
Amy Villarosa ◽  
Shilpi Ajwani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Dental Service ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
And Control ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background Early childhood caries remains a public health challenge and many interventions to manage this disease have focused on prevention during early infancy. Promoting oral health during pregnancy may also improve the oral health of children, however, there is limited evidence in Australia. The Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service (MIOH-DS) was developed to train midwives to promote maternal oral health and a large trial showed the program substantially improved the oral health status, knowledge and behaviours of pregnant women. This study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of the program (post trial) on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours, and early childhood caries in offspring. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted in three large metropolitan health services in Sydney, Australia. The study followed 204 women and their children three to four years after participating in the original MIOH-DS trial (intervention and control groups). The outcome measures included child dental decay (cariogenic bacteria), and a maternal oral health knowledge and behaviours questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the main outcomes and a regression model was constructed to explore predictors of dental decay among children. Results There were no significant differences across the outcome measures between the MIOH-DS participants (mother/child) and control groups except for a small difference in maternal oral health knowledge. Most mothers across both groups demonstrated high oral health knowledge and positive oral health practices, and the regression model found that these outcomes provided a protective effect (low levels of bacteria and dental caries) among children. Some aspects of oral health remained poorly understood by mothers across both groups―the oral health impact of sugary foods and drinks, at-risk feeding practices, and the recommended age for first dental visits. Conclusions The long-term impact of the program demonstrates the effectiveness of improving maternal oral health knowledge and preventative behaviours to reduce the risk of early childhood caries, although the specific effect of the MIOH-DS program was not found. Although oral health knowledge was high across participants the findings suggest the need for reinforced education around feeding, diet and dental visiting through postnatal early childhood services to show sustained improvements.

scholarly journals Long-Term Effectiveness of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service Program on Maternal Oral Health Knowledge, Preventative Dental Behaviours and the Oral Health Status Of Children In Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajesh George ◽  
Ariana Kong ◽  
Mariana Sousa ◽  
Amy Villarosa ◽  
Shilpi Ajwani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Dental Service ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
And Control ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background: Early childhood caries remains a public health challenge and many interventions to manage this disease have focused on prevention during early infancy. Promoting oral health during pregnancy may also improve the oral health of children, however, there is limited evidence in Australia. The Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service (MIOH-DS) was developed to train midwives to promote maternal oral health and a large trial showed the program substantially improved the oral health status, knowledge and behaviours of pregnant women. This study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of the program (post trial) on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours, and early childhood caries in offspring.Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in three large metropolitan health services in Sydney, Australia. The study followed 204 women and their children three to four years after participating in the original MIOH-DS trial (intervention and control groups). The outcome measures included child dental decay (cariogenic bacteria), and a maternal oral health knowledge and behaviours questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the main outcomes and a regression model was constructed to explore predictors of dental decay among children.Results: There were no significant differences across the outcome measures between the MIOH-DS participants (mother/child) and control groups except for a small difference in maternal oral health knowledge. Most mothers across both groups demonstrated high oral health knowledge and positive oral health practices, and the regression model found that these outcomes provided a protective effect (low levels of bacteria and dental caries) among children. Some aspects of oral health remained poorly understood by mothers across both groups―the oral health impact of sugary foods and drinks, at-risk feeding practices, and the recommended age for first dental visits.Conclusions: The long-term impact of the program demonstrates the effectiveness of improving maternal oral health knowledge and preventative behaviours to reduce the risk of early childhood caries, although the specific effect of the MIOH-DS program was not found. Although oral health knowledge was high across participants the findings suggest the need for reinforced education around feeding, diet and dental visiting through postnatal early childhood services to show sustained improvements.

Promotion of Oral Health Care in Infants - A Preventive Strategy to Reduce the Burden of Early Childhood Caries

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
Subhathira Rajasekaran ◽  
Sham S Bhat ◽  
Vidya Bhat ◽  
Sundeep Hegde K ◽  
Neha Thilak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Preventive Strategy ◽  
Childhood Caries

scholarly journals Sugary Liquids in the Baby Bottle: Risk for Child Undernutrition and Severe Tooth Decay in Rural El Salvador

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
Priyanka Achalu ◽  
Abhishek Bhatia ◽  
Bathsheba Turton ◽  
Lucy Luna ◽  
Karen Sokal-Gutierrez
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Tooth Decay ◽  
Child Undernutrition ◽  
Baby Bottle ◽  
Childhood Caries

As communities worldwide shift from consuming traditional diets to more processed snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), increases in child obesity and tooth decay and persistence of undernutrition are particularly apparent in Latin American countries. Further evidence of shared risk factors between child undernutrition and poor oral health outcomes is needed to structure more effective health interventions for children’s nutrition. This study aims to identify dietary, oral health, and sociodemographic risk factors for child undernutrition and severe early childhood caries (sECC) among a convenience sample of 797 caregiver–child pairs from rural Salvadoran communities. Caregiver interviews on child dietary and oral health practices were conducted, and their children’s height, weight, and dental exam data were collected. Multivariable regression analyses were performed using RStudio (version 1.0.143). Caregiver use of SSBs in the baby bottle was identified as a common significant risk factor for child undernutrition (p = 0.011) and sECC (p = 0.047). Early childhood caries (p = 0.023) was also a risk factor for developing undernutrition. Future maternal–child health and nutrition programs should coordinate with oral health interventions to discourage feeding children SSBs in the baby bottle and to advocate for policies limiting SSB marketing to young children and their families.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document