Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in very young Mexican-American Children

BACKGROUND: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood worldwide. ECC is universally thought to be endemic and severe in low socio-economic, immigrant and indigenous communities, with ECC prevalence reported to range from 11-75%. The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III) reported ECC prevalence of 40% in Mexican-American children aged 2-5 years old (n=642). Other researchers report ECC prevalence in Mexican-American children under age 6 to range from 12-36%. Public health researchers recognize the need to address this serious oral health issue with families as early as possible; however there have been limited reports of ECC prevalence specifically in very young Mexican-American children of low socio-economic status in south central Texas.

OBJECTIVE: To describe ECC prevalence in a population of socio-economically disadvantaged Mexican-American dentate children under age 4 in San Antonio, TX.

METHODS: The consensus definition developed at the 1997 Early Childhood Caries Conference was used to define ECC, namely the presence of cavitated caries on at least one primary tooth on any tooth surface in children under six years of age. A cluster random sample of children under age 4 who were participants in the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, San Antonio, Texas, USA Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) during November 2006-June 2007 was examined for the presence of ECC. The examination was conducted with a visual and nontactile technique known as the lift the lip technique, in the knee-to-knee position, using guidelines specified by World Health Organization. The Radike method was used for caries diagnosis.

RESULTS: In a cluster random sample of 338 Mexican-American children aged 5 to 47 months old, 48% had at least one decayed or filled primary tooth.

CONCLUSION: In this sample of very young Mexican-American children in San Antonio, Texas, the prevalence of ECC was greater than found in other published reports for very young Mexican-American children in the U.S.

Study funded by the Colgate-Palmolive Fellowship in Oral Health Nutrition, American Dietetic Association Foundation.