Presentation of Untreated Dental Caries for Preventive
Oral Health Care and Socio-Behavioural Attributes of
Toddlers Attended a Public Dental Hospital in Sri Lanka
Volume 6 - Issue 3
Gayan Surendra1, Irosha Perera2*, Manosha Perera3, Chandra Herath4 and Sumith Attanayake1
1Office of Deputy Director General (Dental Services), Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2Preventive Oral Health Unit, National Dental Hospital (Teaching) Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka
3Alumnus, School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Griffith University, Gold coast, Queensland, Australia.
4Division of Pedodontics, Department of Community Dental Health, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Received:July 15, 2021 Published: July 26, 2021
*Corresponding author: Irosha Perera, Preventive Oral Health Unit, National Dental Hospital (Teaching) Sri Lanka, Ward Place, Colombo
7, Sri Lanka
DOI: 10.32474/IPDOAJ.2021.06.000237
Abstract
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Abstract
Background: Rapidly progressive dental caries without treatment (untreated dental caries) among toddlers denotes one of the
leading unmet health needs. Preventive oral health care is essential to address this need.
Aim: To assess untreated dental caries burden, socio-demographic attributes and oral health behaviours of toddlers ≤ 3-years
who attended a premier tertiary care public dental hospital in Sri Lanka.
Design: Retrospective data were collected for 24-months period comprising socio-demographic, oral heath behaviours,
untreated dental caries among toddlers ≤ 3-years attended the Preventive Oral Health Unit of National Dental Hospital (Teaching)
Sri Lanka. Toddlers were grouped as having <6 and ≥ 6 untreated carious teeth.
Results: Of 236 toddlers aged ≤ 3-years, the majority was aged 2-3 years and represented all ethnic groups. The overwhelming
majority of mothers were housewives whilst 41.5% of fathers were skilled/unskilled workers. As reported by parents, three fourths
of toddlers were without previous dental visits, but practiced assisted tooth brushing twice daily. However, 68.2% indulged in
daily cariogenic dietary pattern which was significantly associated with the high burden of untreated dental caries among toddlers
(p=0.007).
Conclusions: Parents across all social strata should be educated and empowered on modifying the daily cariogenic dietary
pattern to a healthy balanced diet and accessing preventive oral health care for their toddlers at risk of progressive dental caries.
Keywords:Early childhood caries; untreated dental caries; toddlers; preventive oral health care; Sri Lanka
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