Dental caries in 0- to 5-year-old Brazilian children: prevalence, severity, and associated factors.
OBJECTIVE
This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence and severity of dental caries and their association with demographic and socio-economic variables in Brazilian preschoolers.


METHODS
The study population comprised 1487 0- to 5-year-old children attending government nurseries in Canoas, southern Brazil. Questionnaires regarding information related to the independent variables (age, gender, maternal level of education, and family income) were completed by the parents. Clinical examinations were carried out by five trained examiners and results were expressed using the deft index (World Health Organization criteria), including white spots. The outcomes considered in this study were caries occurrence (deft > 0) and caries severity (deft).


RESULTS
Forty per cent of the children (589/1487) presented dental caries [mean deft (SD): 1.53 (2.75)]. Deft increased with age (P < 0.001) and was significantly higher in children from mothers with low educational level (P = 0.001) and low family income (P = 0.001). The greatest increase in caries prevalence and severity occurred between age groups of 1 and 2 years. Logistic regression demonstrated higher odds of dental caries with mother's completing < 4 years education, after adjusting for confounding.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate the need for preventive programmes, which should begin in the first year of life, with special attention given to families with mothers presenting low education levels.
Ferreira
Simone Helena
SH
Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Lutheran University of Brazil, Canoas, Brazil.
Béria
Jorge U
JU
Kramer
Paulo Floriani
PF
Feldens
Eliane Gerson
EG
Feldens
Carlos Alberto
CA
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012923:Social Class; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population