Dental caries trends among preschool children in Indaiatuba, SP, Brazil

Aim: To evaluate caries experience and associated factors in 5-year-old preschool children in the city of Indaiatuba, SP, Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, representative study, conducted from an epidemiological oral health survey (2010) with 303 children. The sample was established by the systematic probabilistic method, in public and private schools, in accordance with WHO criteria. The sample was checked for caries experience (dmft) by four trained and calibrated dentists, reaching acceptable levels of agreement for data collection. Parents or guardians answered questions related to their education and monthly income, and the children answered questions related to dental care and pain. Descriptive and bivariate analyses of independent variables were performed. Variables with p≤0.20 were included in the model (Poisson regression analysis). Results: The sample consisted of 151 boys and 152 girls, with a mean dmft of 1.46. The reasons for visiting a dentist due to pain or need for treatment were associated with dmft > 0 (PR=3.76, 95%CI=2.06-6.84) after adjustment of the regression model. Conclusions: Among the preschool children of this study, pain or need for treatment due to caries disease in the primary dentition and the reason to visit the dentist due pain emphasizing the importance of the professional not only in curative actions, but as a health promoter at the first contact with the child.