title: Association of Healthy Eating, Juice Consumption, and Bacterial Counts with Early Childhood Caries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of healthy diet, snacking, and bacterial count with early childhood caries in a group of preschool children in Alexandria, Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty preschoolers were divided into three groups: (1) caries-free children; (2) children with early childhood caries (ECC); and (3) children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC). Saliva was cultured to determine bacterial counts. A questionnaire collected information about background, oral health practices, and snacking habits. A 24-hour food recall form assessed dietary intake and was analyzed using the Health Eating Index 2005.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to caries-free children, children with ECC and S-ECC had significantly lower odds of drinking juices (odds ratio equals 0.10 and 0.02). Caries-free children had significantly higher Healthy Eating Index values than children with ECC and S-ECC (P=0.003 and P<0.0001). Total streptococci and Streptococcus mutans counts were significantly higher in children with ECC and S-ECC (P<0.0001 for all), whereas Streptococcus sanguis counts were lower (P=0.04 and P=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Drinking juices was associated with less early childhood caries and severe early childhood caries among preschoolers. Snacking on sweets was associated with more S-ECC. Healthy eating, brushing, and bacterial counts were not significantly associated with ECC or S-ECC in multivariate regression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wafaa E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: AbdelAziz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Karin M L
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dowidar
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. maha_tantawy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Maha M A
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: El Tantawi
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D004534:Egypt; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062410:Snacks; D013295:Streptococcus mutans; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis