Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries and the Related Factors among 3-5- Year-Old Children in Babol, Iran

Statement of the Problem: Regular dental checkups to diagnose early childhood caries (ECC) are critical for maintaining and improving children s oral health and well-being. The prevalence of ECC is important for planning proper oral health programs. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ECC and its related factors in children aged 3 to 5 years at Babol, Iran. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 280 children aged 3-5 years in the kindergartens of Babol. Children were examined for dental caries according to World Health Organization criteria. The variables such as age, gender, health, nutritional hab-its, parents educational level, parents job status, and level of dental care were recorded in the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using t-test, chi-square and ANOVA and p 0.05 was con-sidered significant. Results: Average decayed-missing-filled teeth (dmft) were 4.03±3.6 and 73.2% in children with ECC, while 26.8% were caries-free. A significant association was found between age, snack consumption, father’s education, mother’s job, nocturnal drinking milk, tooth-brushing, and a history of dental check up before age 2 with ECC. Conclusion: The results of this analysis showed a high prevalence of ECC in Babol. There-fore, educational and interventional programs in prevention and dental health care, especially for mothers, nurses, and teachers of these age groups, should be considered