The present study assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in... more The present study assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in children 12-to 36-month-old and evaluated the impacts of an educational intervention on ECC prevention in the 12-to 15-month-old cohort. The target population included 12-to 36-month-olds (n = 504) and their mothers attending the vaccination offices of 18 randomly selected public health centers of Tehran city. The mother was first interviewed by a structured questionnaire covering background factors, feeding habits, daytime sugar intake, mother's and child's oral cleaning habits, and mother's perception toward her ability to maintain the child's oral hygiene; then the child's clinical dental examination was carried out covering caries experience and dental plaque status. In addition, the 12-to 15-month-olds (n = 242) were assigned to a six-month interventional study. The 18 health centers were randomly allocated into two groups for intervention and one for control. The mothers in the intervention groups received education on caries prevention from the vaccination staff with extra motivation as reminder phone calls in one of the intervention groups. The outcome was measured as differences in increments of enamel and dentinal caries and as mothers' perceptions about the usefulness of intervention. The results showed that the prevalence of ECC was rather high (3%-26%) in the three age groups, and almost all dmft was due to untreated caries. The majority of the children showed visible plaque on central upper incisors. Oral cleaning on a daily basis was reported for just 68% of mothers and 39% of children. The frequency of oral cleaning and good oral hygiene of the child were directly proportional to the mother's own toothbrushing frequency. Of the children, 98% were solely or partly breastfed. ECC was more likely to occur among those for whom the burden of milk-bottle feeding at night existed (OR = 4.9), while breastfeeding per se, its duration, and its nighttime burden were not related to ECC. The indicator of daytime sugar intake also did not show a clear relationship with ECC. The educational intervention applying a pamphlet with some extra motivation and implemented by non-dental staff of public health centers appeared to be successful in preventing caries increments and mothers 5
The present study assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in... more The present study assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in children 12-to 36-month-old and evaluated the impacts of an educational intervention on ECC prevention in the 12-to 15-month-old cohort. The target population included 12-to 36-month-olds (n = 504) and their mothers attending the vaccination offices of 18 randomly selected public health centers of Tehran city. The mother was first interviewed by a structured questionnaire covering background factors, feeding habits, daytime sugar intake, mother's and child's oral cleaning habits, and mother's perception toward her ability to maintain the child's oral hygiene; then the child's clinical dental examination was carried out covering caries experience and dental plaque status. In addition, the 12-to 15-month-olds (n = 242) were assigned to a six-month interventional study. The 18 health centers were randomly allocated into two groups for intervention and one for control. The mothers in the intervention groups received education on caries prevention from the vaccination staff with extra motivation as reminder phone calls in one of the intervention groups. The outcome was measured as differences in increments of enamel and dentinal caries and as mothers' perceptions about the usefulness of intervention. The results showed that the prevalence of ECC was rather high (3%-26%) in the three age groups, and almost all dmft was due to untreated caries. The majority of the children showed visible plaque on central upper incisors. Oral cleaning on a daily basis was reported for just 68% of mothers and 39% of children. The frequency of oral cleaning and good oral hygiene of the child were directly proportional to the mother's own toothbrushing frequency. Of the children, 98% were solely or partly breastfed. ECC was more likely to occur among those for whom the burden of milk-bottle feeding at night existed (OR = 4.9), while breastfeeding per se, its duration, and its nighttime burden were not related to ECC. The indicator of daytime sugar intake also did not show a clear relationship with ECC. The educational intervention applying a pamphlet with some extra motivation and implemented by non-dental staff of public health centers appeared to be successful in preventing caries increments and mothers 5
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