title: Assessment of the Healthy Eating Index-2005 as a predictor of early childhood caries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early childhood caries (ECC) is a multifactorial disease resulting mainly from a time-specific interaction of micro-organisms with sugars on a tooth surface.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of dietary intake, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) to ECC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analytical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty preschool children were equally divided into three groups according to their caries experience [Group 1: caries-free children, group 2: children with ECC, group 3: children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC)]. The decayed (non-cavitated or cavitated), missing (due to caries) and filled tooth surfaces (dmfs) score was determined through visual dental examination for each child. Questionnaires were collected recording the demographic characteristics of the families as well as 24-h food recall forms capturing the dietary intake of the children during the previous day. Accordingly, the HEI-2005 score was calculated for each child.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The caries experience of the children in this study was significantly associated with their age. Caries-free children showed significantly higher 'Whole fruit', 'Milk', 'Sodium' and total HEI-2005 scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings illustrate the prominent protective role played by healthful dietary practices against dental caries in preschool children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nadine A A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Karin M L
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dowidar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wafaa E E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Abdelaziz
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000072001:Diet, Healthy / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys