Jabin Zohra, Chaudhary Seema
Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Dj Dental College , Ghaziabad, U.P., India .
Professor and Head, Department of Pedodontics, Kothiwal Dental College , Moradabad, U.P., India .
J Clin Diagn Res. 2014 Dec;8(12):ZC21-4. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2014/9770.5262. Epub 2014 Dec 5.
Psychological variable may affect early childhood caries (ECC), but this aspect has not been explored satisfactorily. This study evaluates the child temperament as a risk predictor for ECC.
To find the association of child temperament with ECC.
The study is a cross-sectional survey of 1300 school children aged 3 - 6 years from Moradabad city. This survey was conducted during March 2008 to April 2009. The survey assessed the child temperament and analyzed its association with ECC.
Children were examined for the evidence of caries, using dmft (decayed missing filled teeth) index based on W.H.O standard criteria (1997). Child temperament was assessed on the basis of five factors; namely, Sociability, Emotionality, Energy level, Attentivity and Rhythmicity using Malhotra Temperament Schedule MTS. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. Significance was deemed at p≤0.05.
Out of 1,300 parents involved in filling questionnaire for assessment of child temperament, 1053 (81%) responded and their children were included in study. No caries were found in 731 (69%), while 322 (31%) had evidence of caries in one or more teeth. Of the five temperament factors, Sociability, Energy score, Attentivity and Rhythmicity significantly associated with ECC levels. No correlation could be established with emotionality.
The children with ECC were found less sociable, less energetic, highly distractible and less rhythmic as compared to children without ECC.
心理变量可能会影响幼儿龋齿（ECC），但这方面尚未得到充分研究。本研究评估儿童气质作为ECC的风险预测因素。
探讨儿童气质与ECC之间的关联。
本研究是一项横断面调查，对象为来自莫拉达巴德市的1300名3至6岁学童。调查于2008年3月至2009年4月期间进行。该调查评估了儿童气质，并分析了其与ECC的关联。
根据世界卫生组织（1997年）的标准，使用dmft（龋失补牙）指数检查儿童的龋齿情况。基于五个因素评估儿童气质，即社交性、情绪性、能量水平、注意力和节律性，采用马尔霍特拉气质量表（MTS）。使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）分析数据。p≤0.05被视为具有统计学意义。
在1300名参与填写儿童气质评估问卷的家长中，1053名（81%）做出回应，他们的孩子被纳入研究。731名（69%）儿童未发现龋齿，而322名（31%）儿童有一颗或多颗牙齿出现龋齿迹象。在五个气质因素中，社交性、能量得分、注意力和节律性与ECC水平显著相关。情绪性与ECC无相关性。
与无ECC的儿童相比，患有ECC的儿童社交性较差、精力不足、注意力高度分散且节律性较差。
