Geo-Mapping of Early Childhood Caries Risk: A Community Oriented Preventive Oral Health Promotional Approach

CONTEXT: Given the uneven distribution of dental caries, there is an exigent need for a database of dental caries and its spatial distribution for better planning and efficient delivery of health promotional and preventive programs. Geo-mapping is a helpful tool for policy makers/administrators for efficient allocation of limited resources. AIMS: To geo-map spatial distribution of caries risk in preschoolers of Lucknow and to identify associated predisposing factors. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was done among 1000 preschool children (3-5 years of age) attending pediatrics, outpatient department at a medical college in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Children were enrolled using the systematic random sampling. Each child was geo-coded with respect to his/her residence, clinically examined for dental caries and given a Decayed Missing Filled Tooth (DMFT) index score. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data. Caries prevalence was geo-mapped using color codes. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Median DMFT scores were compared using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test. QQ plot/Shapiro-Wilk's test was used to check the normality of data. RESULTS: Prevalence of caries was found to be 76%. 10% children had DMFT score of 4 and more. A significant difference in distribution of DMFT score was observed for gender, income levels and between wards. Wards closer to the center of Lucknow district had a higher prevalence of caries. CONCLUSIONS: Geo-mapping of caries prevalence gives a quick visual glance of specific areas vulnerable to caries and help deliver specific tailor-made services.