Early Childhood Oral Health Status in the Municipality of Andes, Antioquia

Objectives: To identify the early childhood oral health and growth and development situation in the municipality of Andes - Antioquia, from the explanatory framework of health social determinants.
Methods: Descriptive study in a representative urban sample (200 children) and non-representative rural sample (442 children) in the Andes municipality (Antioquia). A structured survey was applied to the responsable adult oriented towards identifying the social group to which the family core the child pertains and the modes and lifestyles characteristics. A nutritional status, a psychological-mobile status and a dentition-status clinical assessment were conducted.
Results: Four percent of children have acute malnutrition and 19,1% have overweight. Caries experience, including incipient lesions emited siggnificant differences between children pertaining to the fraction “Employed or independent professionals/technicians” (75%) and the under-salary (91%) (p= 0.007; Fisher’s exact Test). The d_{(icdas 2-6)}mf-t oscilates between 5,1 in the small agricultural group and 7,5 in the undersalary group. Thirty-eight percent of children have attended the dentist and differences between social are not significant.
Conclusions: According to the selected focus, this study suggests differences in caries experience during the early chldhood, depending on the child and family pertaining social group. This is why it adds to other studies that conclude that health/illness/care differentings have a social determination and that is why the problema transformation proceeds an equity achievement and social justice. Nevertheless without recognizing that the dental caries problem has distinctive features that commit us to be aware even in those groups with better life modes and conditions.