Abstract

MARTELLO, Rafael Pessoa; JUNQUEIRA, Thiago Pinheiro  and  LEITE, Isabel Cristina Gonçalves. Dental caries and factors associated in children aged three years enrolled in Family Health Units in the Municipality of Rondonopolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2012, vol.21, n.1, pp.99-108. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742012000100010.

OBJECTIVE: the study aims to determinate the prevalence of early childhood carie and factors associated in live birth children in 2006, in areas covered by the Family Health Strategy in the Municipality of Rondonópolis, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. METHODS: transversal study in a target population of 1,235 live birth; oral examinations verified prevalence of early childhood carie, enamel defects and visible bacterial plaque in a sample of 247 preschool children (aged 3 years in the period of this study, 2009); questionnaires were applied to parents and data were submitted to multivariate analysis. RESULTS: the prevalence of carie in preschooler age children was 32.4%; and the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth due to caries (DMFT index), 0.79; characteristics associated to carie in preschoolers were presence of enamel defects, breastfeeding or bottle-feeding while sleeping and presence of visible bacterial plaque. CONCLUSION: the prevalence of carie indicates intensification of preventive and curative actions to these children, due to the existence of active disease, and early identification of those at risk.

Keywords : dental caries; primary dentition; oral health; preschooler; cross-sectional studies.

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