title: Iron deficiency in young children: a risk marker for early childhood caries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the coexistence of iron deficiency and early childhood caries.Evaluate whether iron deficiency can be considered as a risk marker for early childhood caries.Estimate the incidence of iron deficiency in children with early childhood caries.To evaluate and compare the iron status of children with and without severe early childhood caries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty children of age 2 to 6 years in whom blood investigations are advised by pediatricians are selected for the study and are divided into early childhood caries (ECC) and control groups according to the def index. After obtaining the informed consent from parent, blood investigations are carried out in these children for the estimation of iron status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the values depicting the iron status are found to be decreased in the clinical trial group (ECC group) and they are statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iron deficiency is observed definitely in children having ECC. How to cite this article: Koppal PI, Sakri MR, Akkareddy B, Hinduja DM, Gangolli RA, Patil BC. Iron Deficiency in Young Children: A Risk Marker for Early Childhood Caries. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2013;6(1):1-6.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecture Department Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry S Nijalingappa Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre Gulbarga, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Pushpa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iranna Koppal
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Conservative and Endodontics, Mansarovar Dental College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Mohan Ravishankar
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sakri
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sinhgad Dental College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Basavaprabhu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akkareddy
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Conservative and Endodontics, Government Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Dharam M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hinduja
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Pedodontics, KGF College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Kolar, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Raviraj Annayya
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gangolli
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Orthodontics, S Nijalingappa Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Gulbarga, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Basanagouda C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Patil
keywords: Early childhood caries; Iron deficiency