Early Childhood Caries Prevalence in Sudanese Preschool Children

Introduction: Dental caries is one of the most important global oral health problems. The distribution and severity vary in different parts of the world. This study aimed to determine the caries prevalence among a sample of preschool children and to assess the relation between maternal variables (age, educational level, occupation and family size) and the dental caries status of their preschool children. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional pre-school based study for 419 preschool children aged 3-5 years old were selected randomly from 21 kindergartens in Khartoum North, Sudan. Data were collected through clinical examination and interviews. (dmft) were recorded according to WHO criteria. Face-toface interviews mothers to determine maternal variables. Results: The majority (71.4 %) of the children examined had caries. The mean dmft± SD was 4.36 ± 4.40. A statistically significant association between dental caries status and child’s age was found (P=0.00). No statistically significant correlations were observed between all maternal variables and the prevalence of dental caries of their preschool children. Conclusion: The prevalence of early childhood caries was high among preschool children in Khartoum North. School dental health programs; obligatory dental examinations and tooth brushing exercises should be implemented in kindergartens and schools to promote dental awareness and help in dental caries prevention.