Association between early childhood caries and clinical, biochemical, microbiological, environmental and behavioral factors in pre-school children aged 36 months

Abstract

Early childhood caries (ECC) is defined as the presence of one or more decayed, missing or filled dental surfaces in preschool children younger than 06 years. Epidemiologic studies have shown that in Brazil early childhood caries is a public health problem, and presents a high prevalence, that ranges from 24,2 to 43.4%. The literature review evidences that in spite of existing an extensive number of studies that have considered the subject above, none of them analyzed all the factors related to ECC etiology simultaneously. Thus, the aim of the present study is to define the early childhood caries prevalence in Brazilian preschool children of 36 months. The biochemical and microbiological biofilm composition will also be evaluated as well as ambiental and behavioral factors. One hundred fifty children of both sex, attemding to public nursery schools and preschools in the city of Itatiba-SP will take part in the study. The children will be submitted to a clinical examination for the decayed, missing or filled-teeth (including initial lesions) determination and to a biofilm collection. The children responsible will have to fill a questionnaire about ambiental and behavioral factors. In the biochemical analyses of the biofilm, calcium, fluoride, phosphorus and the insoluble polysaccharide will be determined though the following methods: atomic absorption spectrophotometry, an ion-selective electrode and colorimetry. These variables will be expressed through the dry biofilm weight. Quantitative microbiological culture techniques will be used to determine the number of Streptococcus mutans. The results of prevalence will be expressed in percentage and average caries index. The data will be statistically analyzed through multiple logistic regression with 95% confidence interval. (AU)