The Relationship Between Sweet Food Consumption Habits and Dental Caries Among Children Aged 3-5 Years old in Kindergartens in Vientiane Capital

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Background: This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design, utilizing questionnaires to interview caregivers about children’s behaviors and conducting oral and dental examinations of the participating children. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between sugary food consumption habits and dental caries among children aged 3–5 years old in kindergartens in Vientiane Capital. Results: The study involved a total of 330 participants and found that 265 children (80.3%) had dental caries. The mean dmft score was 4.96(SD = 4.00), with component values of d = 4.80(SD = 3.94),m = 0.03(SD = 0.28),and f = 0.13(SD = 0.56), The study results indicate a relationship between tooth decay and the children’s age; the 5 years old group had the highest prevalence of tooth decay, with 134 children (45.3%) affected, Children who brush their own teeth have more cavities than those whose teeth are brushed by a parent or caregiver (75.1%), Regarding the age at which children begin brushing their teeth, the prevalence of tooth decay was 28.9% among those who started brushing between the ages of 1 and 2, whereas it was 71.1% among those who started between the ages of 3 and 5; this difference is statistically significant (P-value<0.05) and Binary logistic regression analysis reveals that the likelihood of tooth decay increases 1.7 fold as the child’s age increases; furthermore, when comparing children who brush their own teeth to those whose teeth are brushed by a parent or caregiver, the former group faces a 0.5 fold higher risk of developing tooth decay. Conclusion: The prevalence of tooth decay is high and increases with age; consuming candies and chocolate poses a high risk of developing tooth decay; and children who brush their own teeth are more likely to develop cavities compared to those whose teeth are brushed by their parents or caregivers.

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