Caries Experience of the Kuwaiti Preschool Children and their Mothers

Objectives: To find out the association between caries experience of the pre-school children and their mothers and the association between caries experience of the child and the socioeconomic factors of the mother in Hawalli governorate. Methods: A sample of 42 pre-school children (3-6-year-olds) enrolled in two nursery schools and their mothers were clinically examined for caries experience according to WHO (1997) criteria using mouth mirror and touch light by one examiner (AA). All participants received topical fluoride application as an incentive. In addition, data on socioeconomic factors and oral health habits the children and their mothers were collected using questionnaires completed by the mothers. Results: The mean dmf of the children was 3.9 (SD=6.2) and the mean DMF of the mother was 12.4 (4.7). Children who suffered toothache once or more in their life have higher dmf , 5.2 (3.8) than those who did not, dmf=3 (2.4). Those children, who had not visited dentist had lower dmf, 3.1 (2.8) than those, who had one, 4.4 (3.2) or more visits, 4.8 (3.9). Children's dmf did not correlate very much with toothbrushing or use of sugar products, neither with education of the parents. The dmf of the child was lower among the mothers, who were younger than 30 years 2.4 (1.1) than of the mothers, who were older than 29 years 4.2 (3.2). Conclusions: There was not clear correlation between the caries experience of the pre-school children and their mothers' education, oral health habits or caries experience. This might be explained by the fact that these children are looked after at home by the maids and in the kindergarten by their teachers.