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Published on: December 31, 2017

Caries prevalence and caries risk in a sample of Lebanese preschool children

N R Chedid1, D Bourgeois, H Kaloustian

  • 1Dpt Pediatric Community Dentistry, Dental Medicine Faculty, Saint-Joseph Univ., Beirut, Lebanon.

Odonto-Stomatologie Tropicale = Tropical Dental Journal
|October 19, 2011
PubMed

Insights

High caries risk and prevalence were found in Lebanese preschoolers, with over 74% having carious lesions and nearly 40% at very high risk. Oral hygiene and parental education significantly impact early childhood caries.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Oral Health Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Early childhood caries (ECC) poses a significant global health challenge.
  • Understanding ECC prevalence and risk factors in diverse populations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of early childhood caries and assess caries risk among Lebanese preschoolers.
  • To identify correlations between oral hygiene, dietary habits, parental factors, and caries development.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 99 Lebanese preschoolers (≤4 years old).
  • Data collection included parental questionnaires (diet, hygiene, education), clinical oral examinations, and salivary tests (buffer capacity, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus).
  • A validated caries risk assessment tool categorized children into low, moderate, high, or very high risk groups.

Main Results:

  • 74.7% of children had at least one carious lesion; 22.2% had over 10 lesions.
  • High to very high plaque scores (≥ moderate) were observed in 70.7% of subjects.
  • 40% of children were classified as very high caries risk (C3), and 15.1% as high risk (C2).
  • High levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus were prevalent and correlated with caries.
  • Factors like regular tooth brushing, systemic fluoride, parental education, and regular dental visits were associated with lower plaque and caries scores.

Conclusions:

  • A high prevalence of early childhood caries and a significant proportion of Lebanese preschoolers are at high or very high caries risk.
  • Oral hygiene practices, parental education, and access to dental care are critical modifiable factors.
  • Further research is warranted to explore these findings in the broader Lebanese preschool population.
Abstract

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