The relationship between oral health habits in children and early childhood caries in jakarta, indonesia

Objective: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a health challenge in Indonesia. It causes problems with mastication and digestion, and causes growth and speech disorders, as well as low self-esteem. The prevalence and severity of ECC is increasing. Thus, the study objectives were to analyze the relationship between dental caries activity in mothers and that in their children; the relationship between the oral health habits of children and ECC; the relationship between cariogenic carbohydrate snacking consumption and ECC; and the relationship between dental plaque pH and ECC. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 424 children aged 6-24 months, using two-stage cluster random sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by the mothers to determine the oral habits of their children. An intraoral examination was performed on the children to obtain deft index data and to determine the pH of the dental plaque, using the GC™ Plaque Indicator Kit (GC India Dental, Telangana, India). The dental caries-related activity of mothers and their children was measured using the Cariostat® test. Results: A significant relationship was found between the dental caries activity of mothers and their children (p≤0.000); between ECC and teeth-cleaning behavior (p≤0.050); as well as between cariogenic carbohydrate snacking consumption (p≤0.050) and the pH of dental plaque (p≤0.050). Conclusions: A lower rate of EEC was observed in children whose teeth were cleaned daily than in those who brushed more irregularly (odds ratio [OR]=2.00). Higher ECC was also noted in children who consumed snacks ≥3 times daily (OR=3.43). Children with a dental plaque pH of 5.00-5.54 experienced the most ECC (OR=24.42). Untreated dental caries in the mothers resulted in an increase in cariogenic bacteria which was later transferred to their children.Decreasing dental caries activity in mothers and controlling the oral health habits of children are important factors in the prevention of ECC in children aged 6-24 months.