IADR Abstract Archives
Factors Associated With ECC Severity Among Hong Kong Chinese Preschoolers
Objectives: Early childhood caries (ECC) affects more than half of Hong Kong preschoolers. Many children suffer from severe ECC (S-ECC), i.e. they have at least four tooth surfaces with caries experience. The objective of this study is to investigate the factors associated with the severity of ECC in Hong Kong Chinese preschool children.
Methods: Children aged 3 or 4 years attending selected kindergartens in Hong Kong were invited and those with parental consent were clinically examined. Their dental caries status was recorded with the dmfs index according to the diagnostic criteria recommended by the WHO. A parental questionnaire was used to obtain information on the children’s demographic background and oral health related behaviors. Children who had 4 or more dmfs were classified as having S-ECC, and those with 1-3 dmfs were classified as having low ECC. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the studied independent variables and the child’s ECC severity category.
Results: Invitation was sent to 3,259 children and 2,590 (79%) were examined. A total of 565 children (56% boys) with ECC were included in this study. Among them, 307 (54%) had S-ECC. Logistic regression showed that children whose mother had a lower educational level and those who were older (aged 4 vs 3), had higher frequency of snack intake, or had visited a dentist had a higher chance of having S-ECC.
Conclusions: The severity of ECC of Hong Kong Chinese children is associated with their age, frequency of snack intake, dental visit experience and maternal education level.
Methods: Children aged 3 or 4 years attending selected kindergartens in Hong Kong were invited and those with parental consent were clinically examined. Their dental caries status was recorded with the dmfs index according to the diagnostic criteria recommended by the WHO. A parental questionnaire was used to obtain information on the children’s demographic background and oral health related behaviors. Children who had 4 or more dmfs were classified as having S-ECC, and those with 1-3 dmfs were classified as having low ECC. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the studied independent variables and the child’s ECC severity category.
Results: Invitation was sent to 3,259 children and 2,590 (79%) were examined. A total of 565 children (56% boys) with ECC were included in this study. Among them, 307 (54%) had S-ECC. Logistic regression showed that children whose mother had a lower educational level and those who were older (aged 4 vs 3), had higher frequency of snack intake, or had visited a dentist had a higher chance of having S-ECC.
Conclusions: The severity of ECC of Hong Kong Chinese children is associated with their age, frequency of snack intake, dental visit experience and maternal education level.