Survey of Caries Experience in 3- to 5-year-old Children in Northeast Italy in 2011 and Its Trend 1984-2011.

PURPOSE: To describe dental caries experience by age and gender among preschool children in a health district in northeast Italy and to plot a trend of primary-dentition dental caries prevalence and severity over a 27-year time span (1984-2011). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, 27 out of 88 kindergartens were randomly selected with a sample of 2603 preschoolers drawn from a population of 8328 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children. Dental caries (d3 t) experience according to the criteria of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry was evaluated by two calibrated examiners at schools in 1960 (75.3%) 3- to 5-year-old children from October 2010 to May 2011. Three previous surveys performed in the same area, applying the criteria of the World Health Organization, were used to plot a trend over a 27-year period. Comparisons between groups were made using Pearson's chi-squared test, and caries occurrence was established by logistic regression analysis to assess the influence of sex and age (independent variables) on caries experience (dependent variable). RESULTS: Prevalence (%) and severity (mean dmft ± SD) increased with age (17% and 0.5 ± 1.7 at age 3; 24% and 0.8 ± 2.2 at age 4; 35% and 1.3 ± 2.6 at age 5). The level of untreated caries was 85.8%. No statistically significant difference was found for gender. From 1984 to 2004, the prevalence and severity of caries declined at all examined ages, but were unchanged from 2004 to 2011. CONCLUSION: The current caries scores in preschoolers are low and similar to those reported in other western European countries. Nevertheless, as very early childhood is a key opportunity to intervene, an effort must be made to provide clear oral health guidance and increase the cooperation among all health professionals.

Validity of Italian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14).

BACKGROUND: The Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) is the most commonly used indicator of child oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and its validity and reliability have been studied both in English and in other linguistic contexts. The aim of this study was to develop a CPQ11-14 for use in Italy and to test its validity in a random sample of fourteen year-old Italian adolescents. METHODS: Once the CPQ11-14was translated into Italian and adapted for an Italian public, five hundred sixty-one adolescents were recruited for testing. Parents rated their social status; the children/adolescents were administered the questionnaire and underwent a dental examination during which their dental status was taken and recorded. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the questionnaire's internal consistency. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated to assess construct validity between the total and subscale scores and the respondents' global ratings on oral health and well-being. Discriminant validity was analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis or Mann-Whitney tests in groups defined by gender, social position, caries experience and previous or no orthodontic treatment. RESULTS: The mean score on the CPQ11-14 was 15.4 (SD=11.9), and the scores on all the domains were found to be highly skewed. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.85 to 0.90. The global ratings on oral health and well-being were correlated to the total score and to the sub-scores except for those regarding the functional limitations. There were significant differences in the two genders, in the groups that had already or had not yet undergone orthodontic treatment, and in the social classification groups, while the difference between those who had and those who did not have caries experience did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian version of the CPQ11-14 appears to be a reliable, valid instrument for Italian children/adolescents.

Early Childhood Caries in a Preschool-based Sample in Northeast Italy: Socioeconomic Status and Behavioral Risk Factors.

Aim: To assess the relationship among caries and age, gender, immigrant condition, socioeconomic status (SES), and a behavioral risk factor (toothbrushing) in a sample of 3-5-year-old children. Materials and methods: We performed a random cross-sectional survey from January to December 2017, carrying out clinical examinations to estimate the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) score. Parents filled in a questionnaire reporting their education level (SES) and the daily frequency of children's toothbrushing. The multivariate analysis assessed the association between caries occurrence and the independent variables. The dmft score was assessed by zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINBR). Results: Out of 1,441 children in the sample, 357 (26.0%) presented at least one caries-affected tooth. Caries risk significantly increased with age and irregular toothbrushing, and it was significantly higher in children with lower SES levels. We modeled caries risk by means of ZINBR. The degree of caries experience increased in children from lower SES positions, immigrant status, and of older age; regular toothbrushing (twice a day) is a predicting factor to belong to the "zero caries" group. Conclusion: Dental caries represent a significant burden in preschool children and can be regarded as an early marker of social disadvantage. Clinical significance: The confirmation of the earliest preventive approach as the only chance to grant a "caries free" dentition in all ages and the first target for a pediatric dentist. How to cite this article: Ferro R, Besostri A, Olivieri A, et al. Early Childhood Caries in a Preschool-based Sample in Northeast Italy: Socioeconomic Status and Behavioral Risk Factors. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(6):717-723.