Nazar Huda, Al-Mutawa Sabiha, Ariga Jitendra, Soparkar Pramod, Mascarenhas Ana Karina
National School Oral Health Program, Ministry of Health, Kuwait, Kuwait.
Med Princ Pract. 2014;23(2):125-8. doi: 10.1159/000356866. Epub 2013 Dec 20.
The purpose of this study was to describe the oral health, oral hygiene, and oral health habits of Kuwaiti infants and toddlers.
This cross-sectional study of a convenience sample included 336 infants and toddlers (156 females and 180 males). The teeth of the infants and toddlers were examined using a mirror and a light source. Oral hygiene was recorded, and then all teeth were cleaned with gauze and examined for caries. Parents were interviewed regarding their children's feeding habits, brushing or tooth cleaning, and night feeding. The evaluation criteria for caries were sound teeth, noncavitated lesions, cavitated lesions, filled teeth, and missing teeth.
The mean age was 11.1 ± 2.4 months (range 2-23). Of the 336 subjects, 247 (73%) had good oral hygiene, 64 (19%) had parents who brushed or cleaned their infants' and toddlers' teeth; 288 (86%) were bottle-fed, and 290 (86%) were also night fed. The mean number of teeth upon examination was 4.6 ± 2.7 (range 2-8). Three percent of the infants and toddlers had caries. Cavitated lesions were present in 6 patients (1.8%), while 4 (1.2%) had noncavitated lesions. The mean d1d2t (caries teeth: noncavitated lesions and cavitated lesions) was 0.03 ± 0.3, and the mean d1d2s (carious surfaces) was 0.07 ± 0.5.
The caries prevalence and severity was low in infants and toddlers. However, poor oral health practices and habits as well as unhealthy feeding practices that could affect the future caries prevalence were noted.
本研究旨在描述科威特婴幼儿的口腔健康、口腔卫生及口腔健康习惯。
本横断面研究采用便利抽样法，纳入336名婴幼儿（156名女性，180名男性）。使用镜子和光源对婴幼儿的牙齿进行检查。记录口腔卫生情况，然后用纱布清洁所有牙齿并检查是否有龋齿。就其孩子的喂养习惯、刷牙或牙齿清洁情况以及夜间喂养情况对家长进行访谈。龋齿的评估标准为健全牙齿、非龋损病变、龋损病变、已补牙和缺失牙。
平均年龄为11.1±2.4个月（范围2 - 23个月）。在336名研究对象中，247名（73%）口腔卫生良好，64名（19%）的家长为其婴幼儿刷牙或清洁牙齿；288名（86%）采用奶瓶喂养，290名（86%）也有夜间喂养。检查时平均牙齿数为4.6±2.7（范围2 - 8颗）。3%的婴幼儿有龋齿。6名患者（1.8%）有龋损病变，4名（1.2%）有非龋损病变。平均龋失补牙数（龋齿：非龋损病变和龋损病变）为0.03±0.3，平均龋面数为0.07±0.5。
婴幼儿龋齿患病率和严重程度较低。然而，注意到存在可能影响未来龋齿患病率的不良口腔健康行为和习惯以及不健康的喂养方式。
