Evaluation of Co-Relation between Maternal Behavior Characteristics and Early Childhood Caries in Children of Wardha District

Aim: To find the prevalence of ECC with respect to various maternal behavioral characteristics.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental college, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Maharashtra, India between 2012-2013

Methodology: The study comprised of 540 children aged 6 months to 6 years attending the OPD. Structured questionnaire consisting of questions related to maternal factors affecting ECC was formatted for the study. Maternal factors included number of siblings in family, education, occupation, socioeconomic status, feeding practices, oral hygiene practices of mother and child. Age wise comparison of dental caries was done with every parameter along with number of teeth affected.

Results: Out of 540 children, 43.33% children were affected with dental caries and 56.67% children were not affected with dental caries. There was no statistically significant difference among the variables like number of siblings, occupation, socioeconomic status, feeding habits, oral hygiene status of mother and child except for educational qualification of mother.

Conclusions: Epidemiological data of the present study evaluating the co-relation between maternal behavior characteristics and ECC in children of Wardha district can be utilized for improved public oral health service planning within the region.