Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries and the Related Factors among 3-5- Year-Old Children in Babol, Iran

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Regular dental checkups to diagnose early childhood caries (ECC) are critical for maintaining and improving children's oral health and well-being. The prevalence of ECC is important for planning proper oral health programs. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ECC and its related factors in children aged 3 to 5 years at Babol, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 280 children aged 3-5 years in the kindergartens of Babol. Children were examined for dental caries according to World Health Organization criteria. The variables such as age, gender, health, nutritional habits, parents' educational level, parents' job status, and level of dental care were recorded in the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using t-test, chi-square and ANOVA and p< 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Average decayed-missing-filled teeth (dmft) were 4.03±3.6 and 73.2% in children with ECC, while 26.8% were caries-free. A significant association was found between age, snack consumption, father’s education, mother’s job, nocturnal drinking milk, tooth-brushing, and a history of dental check up before age 2 with ECC. CONCLUSION: The results of this analysis showed a high prevalence of ECC in Babol. Therefore, educational and interventional programs in prevention and dental health care, especially for mothers, nurses, and teachers of these age groups, should be considered.