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Published on: December 31, 2017
Early childhood caries among Hutterite preschool children in Manitoba, Canada
Robert Schroth1, Pamel Dahl, Mohammad Haque
1University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. umschrot@cc.umanitoba.ca
Insights
Early childhood caries (ECC) affects over half of Hutterite preschoolers in Manitoba, Canada. Higher rates are linked to older age, larger families, and lower maternal dental health ratings, highlighting the need for targeted prevention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Investigates the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in Hutterite preschool children.
- Focuses on different Hutterite colonies in southwestern Manitoba, Canada.
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine the prevalence of ECC in a specific Hutterite population.
- Identify factors associated with ECC in young children.
Main Methods:
- Dental screening examinations conducted on children under 72 months.
- Informed parental consent and ethical approval obtained.
- Data collected on ECC prevalence and decayed, extracted, and filled teeth (deft) scores.
Main Results:
- ECC prevalence was 53% among 66 children (mean age 40.1 months).
- Severe ECC (S-ECC) affected 42.4%; no significant difference between colonies.
- ECC associated with older age, larger family size, and lower maternal dental health ratings.
Conclusions:
- First study on primary tooth decay in Hutterite children; rates comparable to other Canadian rural children.
- Highlights need for culturally appropriate prevention strategies.
- Recommends fluoride varnish and early dental visits for prevention.
Introduction:
This study investigated the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) among Hutterite preschool children from different colonies in southwestern Manitoba, Canada.
Methods:
Following informed consent from the child's parent, children under 72 months of age underwent a dental screening examination. Approval was granted by the University of Manitoba's Health Research Ethics Board.
Results:
A total of 66 children with a mean age of 40.1 ± 20.1 months participated. The prevalence of ECC was 53%, while the mean decayed, extracted and filled teeth (deft) score was 2.8 ± 4.0 (range 0-20). A total of 42.4% had severe ECC (S-ECC). There was no difference in prevalence among the 6 participating colonies. Only 15 children had already been to the dentist, with the majority of these visits due to decay or dental pain. Of those, the mean age for a first visit was 2.7 ± 0.6 years. Children with ECC were determined to be significantly older than those who were caries-free (p<.0001). Early childhood caries and higher caries rates were associated with lower maternal ratings of their child's dental health. Both ECC and increased deft scores were significantly associated with the number of children in the home.
Conclusions:
This is the first study to report the prevalence of primary tooth decay in Hutterite children. Rates were comparable with other Canadian data for rural dwelling children. Effective and culturally appropriate prevention and health promotion activities are warranted, including fluoride varnish and early dental visits.
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