Prevalence of early childhood caries and associated factors among a group of preschool children in Benghazi

Abstract

Background : dental caries is a public health problem worldwide with significant impact on quality of life particularly among children. Aims and objectives : to explore caries experience and associated factors among Libyan preschool children in the city of Benghazi . materials and methods : this was a descriptive cross- sectional study conducted among children attending preschool nurseries. Result : response rate was 72% , the study included 506 preschool children ,dental caries affecting 59.5% of children, most of dental caries is untreated ,most of parents showed positive attitude toward oral health, conclusions : the prevalence of dental caries is relatively high among Libyan preschool children in Benghazi , parents education is associated with better dental care ,prolonged feeding and increasing sugar consumption are strongly associated with dental caries in preschool children ,children from larger families appeared to be higher risk of dental caries, oral health promotion programs are needed to increase oral health awareness and provide appropriate knowledge.