title: Socio-behavioural risk factors for early childhood caries (ECC) in Cambodian preschool children: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This was to explore the socio-behavioural risk factors for ECC in Cambodia. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant health problem in Cambodia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 362 primary caregiver-child dyads were selected. The children were aged between birth and 6 years old and participated in a structured interview and intra-oral examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ECC was diagnosed in 244 of 362 (65.6%) children and 178 (50.6%) had severe early childhood caries (sECC). There were significant associations between caries experience and tooth brushing, dietary, and nursing habits. The odds ratio (OR) for sECC in those children who started brushing before the age of 18 months was 0.41 (CI 0.18, 0.93). However, for those children who continued to breast-feed after the age of 2 years the OR was 5.31 (CI 1.50, 18.79).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most prominent risk factors for ECC in the present study were lack of tooth brushing and breast-feeding past the age of 2 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Puthisastra, #55 Street 180, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. bethy.turton@gmail.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5464-9305
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turton
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Puthisastra, #55 Street 180, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durward
authors.affiliation: Elsdon Storey Chair of Child Dental Health, Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, 720 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manton
authors.affiliation: Auckland District Health Board, 2 Park Road, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Puthisastra, #55, Street 180, Phnom Penh, 12000, N/A = Not Applicable, Cambodia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yos
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing
keywords: Cambodia; Children; Early childhood caries; Socio-behavioural risk factors