title: Caries prevalence, oral hygiene, and oral health habits of Kuwaiti infants and toddlers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe the oral health, oral hygiene, and oral health habits of Kuwaiti infants and toddlers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study of a convenience sample included 336 infants and toddlers (156 females and 180 males). The teeth of the infants and toddlers were examined using a mirror and a light source. Oral hygiene was recorded, and then all teeth were cleaned with gauze and examined for caries. Parents were interviewed regarding their children's feeding habits, brushing or tooth cleaning, and night feeding. The evaluation criteria for caries were sound teeth, noncavitated lesions, cavitated lesions, filled teeth, and missing teeth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 11.1 ± 2.4 months (range 2-23). Of the 336 subjects, 247 (73%) had good oral hygiene, 64 (19%) had parents who brushed or cleaned their infants' and toddlers' teeth; 288 (86%) were bottle-fed, and 290 (86%) were also night fed. The mean number of teeth upon examination was 4.6 ± 2.7 (range 2-8). Three percent of the infants and toddlers had caries. Cavitated lesions were present in 6 patients (1.8%), while 4 (1.2%) had noncavitated lesions. The mean d1d2t (caries teeth: noncavitated lesions and cavitated lesions) was 0.03 ± 0.3, and the mean d1d2s (carious surfaces) was 0.07 ± 0.5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The caries prevalence and severity was low in infants and toddlers. However, poor oral health practices and habits as well as unhealthy feeding practices that could affect the future caries prevalence were noted.
authors.affiliation: National School Oral Health Program, Ministry of Health, Kuwait, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Huda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nazar
authors.forename: Sabiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Mutawa
authors.forename: Jitendra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ariga
authors.forename: Pramod
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soparkar
authors.forename: Ana Karina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data