The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dental caries in children ages 0 to 71-months from an low income community in northern
Lima, identifying the most affected teeth, as well as the differences by gender. Under a descriptive and transversal study design, with previous consent from the parents, 362 children were evaluated. The WHO`s parameters were used, using natural light, knee-to-knee technique and no-invasive equipment. There were 4 examiners previously calibrated (k>0.85). Frequencies are presented and associations are evaluated using the Chi squared technique. The average dmft values were 0.42 (S.D. 1.61) for ages 0-to-11-months, 0.5 (S.D. 1) between 12 to 23 months, 2.18 (S.D. 2.8) between 24 to 35 months, 2.8 (S.D. 3.08) between 36 and 47 months, 4.78 (S.D. 4.28) between 48 and 59 months and 4.03 (S.D. 3.19) for those children between 60 to 71 months. The average ceo-d value for the population was 2.97 (S.D. 3.48) for an average age of 36.53 months (S.D. 18.1).
The 62.3% of children had certain experience of caries (dmft>1), there were no gender differences (p>0.05). The distribution of caries by age group was 10.5% for 0-to-11-month children, 27.3% between 12 and 23 months, 60% between 24 to 35 months, 65.5% between 36 to 47 months, 73.4% between 48 to 59 months and 86.9% between 60 to 71 months. It was found that in the 0-to-11-month group the 10.5% has at least one cavity in the anterior teeth, between 12 and 23 months the 27.3% had cavities in anterior teeth and 22.6% in posterior teeth, between 24 and 35 months the 60% had anterior cavities and the 57.8% posterior lesions, between 48 and 59 months there was 73.4% with anterior caries and 72.7% posterior caries. The frequency of dental caries was higher in primary molars:
The prevalence of caries increases with age (p=0.00) as much in posterior as in anterior teeth (p<0.05). The prevalence of caries in anterior and posterior teeth always shows a peak in growth around 24 months of age (p<0.05).
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