Impact of preventive care orientation on caries status among preschool children

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to study the impact of preventive care orientation given to caregivers of child daycare centers on their knowledge and on the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) among preschool children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Caregivers of twenty child daycare centers in Emirate of Sharjah were interviewed and 435 children attending these centers were surveyed for decayed missing filled teeth (dmft). The sample data were analyzed using t-tests and one-way ANOVA to assess the statistical significance of the differences in dmft score found between groups. RESULTS: No significant correlation was found between dmft scores and family income of urban or rural centers, mothers' level of education, mothers' employment status in public centers, and frequency of dental visits. There was a significant correlation between dmft scores and mothers' employment status in private centers with the lowest scores among children of working mothers. High caries rates were observed in children attending private daycare centers where sweetened milk, juices, and snacks were served more frequently. There was a significant difference between private and public centers in caregivers' level of knowledge regarding oral health in favor of the latter. Low dmft scores were found to be associated with high level of knowledge of caregivers in public centers. CONCLUSIONS: Children are more likely to develop ECC if their caregivers are lacking knowledge or regular provision of preventive care orientation. This makes caregivers and school teachers better candidates for oral health education programs than parents.