Evaluation of the Prevalence, Etiology, and Risk Factors of Early Childhood Caries in Preschool Children
18th Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry, Liverpool, İngiltere, 1 - 04 Temmuz 2026, ss.1, (Özet Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
- Basıldığı Şehir: Liverpool
- Basıldığı Ülke: İngiltere
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1
- Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Aim: This study evaluated the prevalence of Early Childhood Caries(ECC) and its association with oral health-related quality of life(OHRQoL) in preschool children and their families, while investigating associations between dental history, sociodemographic factors, and clinical indices.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included children under 72 months of age who attended the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Dokuz Eylül University in 2025. Sociodemographic characteristics, nutritional habits, dental history, and OHRQoL(ECOHIS) were collected using structured parental questionnaires. Clinical examinations were conducted using dmft, dmfs, and Oral Hygiene Index(OHI) scores; additionally, Developmental Defects of Enamel(DDE) and Body Mass Index(BMI) scores were recorded. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 27.0, with p<0.05 considered significant.
Results: The mean age of the 425 children was 54.40±12.75 months. Severe ECC(S-ECC) was present in 85.4% of participants; mean dmft and dmfs scores were 9.67±4.99 and 20.27±14.98, respectively. Low household income, rural residence, and low parental education were significantly associated with higher caries prevalence and poorer oral hygiene(p<0.001). Children with low BMI had significantly higher dmfs scores(p=0.017), and DDE presence increased dmfs scores(p<0.001). Nocturnal feeding, irregular consumption of sugary foods, and initiating tooth brushing after 24 months were associated with higher caries scores(p<0.001). Furthermore, a strong positive correlation was found between dmfs scores and total ECOHIS scores(r=0.6,p<0.001).
Conclusion:This study demonstrated a high prevalence of S-ECC among preschool children. The findings suggest that ECC is influenced by a complex interplay of sociodemographic, nutritional, and clinical factors, underscoring the need for comprehensive public health strategies focused on early prevention and intervention.