Prevalencia de caries de la temprana infancia y su severidad en niños de 10 a 48 meses de edad que asisten al Centro de Cuidado Infantil “Perpetuo Socorro”

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to determine THE PREVALENCE OF DENTAL CARIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD (DCEC) on children and its severity at the PERPETUO SOCORRO CHILDREN-HOMECARE. The American Dental Pediatric Association Criteria (AAPD); WHO (the ceos-ceod, Gruebbel) and the International System for Caries Detection and Evaluation (ICDAS II) scores, were used. We also included active-incipient caries as a component of dental caries. In order to standarise these criteria scores, a pilot test was made.

We performed a transversal-descriptive study in 150 children, whose ages ranged from 10 to 48 months. The prevalence of the (DCEC) according to the AAPD criteria in the total population was 96%, with a severity index of 95,3%. The score of caries experience corresponded to 78,7%. If we take into consideration the incipient active caries index, the last value ascends to a 96% rate value which corresponds to the prevalence rate.

In regard to the average value for the ceos index, a 14,37 rate was observed, and for the ceod index a 8,18. Value was obtained, with the caries component as predominant.

Children whose ages ranged from 10 to 22 months, showed an average ceos index of 8,11; those aged from 23 to 35 months showed a value of 13,25 and those aged from 36 to 48 months showed a 19,58 value.

In relation to the severity of dental caries (ICDAS II) Children whose ages ranged from 10 to 22 months, showed an average rate of 4,49 dental surfaces with initial lesions of caries (1-2); those aged from 23 to 35 months showed a value of 8,47 and those aged from 36 to 48 months showed an average rate of 8,89 dental surfaces. The rate of lessions with cavity (3-4-5-6) among children 10-22 months old was 4,14, where as in children 23-35 months old was 6,32 and in those children 36-48 months old was 9,67 surfaces.

Statistical analysis showed that there is a significant statistical difference (0,05) between CTI and age, this means that those children whose ages ranged from 10 to 22 months, present a lower proportion of the CTIS (Test z).Comparing the averages of the ceos in relation to age, there is significant difference, p=0,00.Similarly this applies to averages of the ICDAS II lesions (1-2) and (3-4-5-6) in which we observed a p=0,002 and p=0,004 respectively (ANOVA TEST). This means that the value of these averages increase as the child gets older. However there was not a significant difference according to gender p=0,7.

This evaluated population sample presents a high prevalence of SEVERE CARIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD which increases with age. These facts state in favor of the priority for developing primary oro-dental health assistant programs, in early childhood infants who live in childcare institutions.