title: Prevalence of early childhood caries and risk factors in children from 1 to 3 years of age in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Available data show that Early Childhood Caries (ECC) has a very wide range of prevalence (5% to 55%). Contemporary studies investigate the specific etiologic factors contributing to the appearance of ECC. As these questions are inadequately addressed in the stomatological literature in Bulgaria, we decided to investigate them in the present study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of ECC and the risk factors in children aged 12 to 47 months in Plovdiv.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is representative by design and is conducted in compliance with the requirements of World Health Organization. It includes 370 children 1 to 3 years of age, selected randomly. The dental caries was diagnosed by the visual-tactile method with a dental explorer and mirror at the cavitation level. A survey for determining the risk factors for ECC is carried out among the mothers of all affected children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the study demonstrate high prevalence of ECC in the studied populations--20.82% in 1-year-old children, 40.0% in 2-year-old children and 56.15% in 3-year-old children. The analysis of the questionnaire data shows that the knowledge of mothers about the appropriate feeding of their children is insufficient. The use of baby's comforter with honey is not the only risk factor for developing caries. It is ascertained that frequent consumption of quickly soluble carbohydrates, as well as their prolonged contact with the tooth surface is highly significant risk factors too.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of ECC is high in the studied populations. The results of the questionnaire survey demonstrate the need for recommending adequate feeding practices of children till the age of 3 years to their mothers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Medical University, 15A Vassil Aprilov St., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Mariana M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dimitrova
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kukleva
authors.forename: Veselina K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kondeva
mesh_terms: D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012307:Risk Factors