ArticlePloS one2021
Prevalence of early childhood caries, risk factors and nutritional status among 3-5-year-old preschool children in Kisarawe, Tanzania.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in Africa: A Systematic Review.International journal of paediatric dentistry · 2026Pooled it
- Prevalence and risk factors for early childhood caries in North Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC oral health · 2025Pooled it
- Individual, Family, and Socioeconomic Contributors to Dental Caries in Children from Low- and Middle-Income Countries.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Early childhood caries intervention in Aboriginal Australian children: Follow-up at child age 9 years.PloS one · 2025Trial
- Early Childhood Caries Intervention in Aboriginal Australian Children: A Cross-in Randomized Trial.JDR clinical and translational research · 2024Trial
- Sex Differences in Oral Hygiene, Masticatory Performance and Chewing Habits of Japanese Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study From the Osaka MELON Study.Journal of oral rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Dental caries and associated factors: prevalence among children aged 6 to 12 years in 2023 in the city of Conakry, Guinea.Frontiers in oral health · 2026Article
- Parental Knowledge of Breastfeeding and Nutrition: Influence on Oral Health and Self-Reported Early Childhood Caries in Preschool Children in Croatia.Pediatric reports · 2025Article
- Caries Incidence and Its Associated Factors in Hong Kong Kindergarten Children.International dental journal · 2025Article
- Association between early childhood caries and anthropometric growth and nutritional status in preschool children: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2025Article
- Every bite counts to achieve oral health: a scoping review on diet and oral health preventive practices.International journal for equity in health · 2024Article
- Exploring odontogenic brain abscesses: a comprehensive review.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2024Review
- The Oral Health Status and Anthropometric Measurements of Children at Early Childhood Development Centers in an Informal Settlement in Pretoria, South Africa.International journal of clinical pediatric dentistry · 2024Article
- Dental caries and associated factors among preschool children in Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.BMJ paediatrics open · 2024Article
- A Review on Maternal Parenting, Child's Growth Stunting, and Oral Health.European journal of dentistry · 2024Article
- Dental Caries Pattern Amongst Tanzanian Children: National Oral Health Survey.International dental journal · 2023Article
- Caries Experience in Preschoolers in Three Ecuadorian Communities.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- A descriptive study on oral hygiene practice and caries increment in children with growth stunting.Frontiers in oral health · 2023Article
- Oral Health Status and Practices, and Anthropometric Measurements of Preschool Children: Protocol for a Multi-African Country Survey.JMIR research protocols · 2022Article
- Early childhood caries, obesity and anthropometric measurements: Is there a relationship?Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEarly childhood dental caries (ECC), a serious public health problem lacks information on the association between ECC, risk factors and nutritional status among children in Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of ECC, risk factors and nutritional status among 3-5-year-old preschool children and to assess its correlation with the form, visible plaque scores in upper anterior teeth, total sugar exposure, anthropometric measures, and socio demographic attributes.
methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 831 children registered in public preschools in Kisarawe District. Assessment of ECC used the WHO (2013) criteria and anthropometric measures used the WHO Child Growth Standards (2006). Structured questionnaires were completed by children's parents through an interview. Collected information on socio-demographic attributes including oral hygiene and sugar exposure to their children was analyzed.
resultsOnly 459 children (55.2%) were recognized as caries-free. Dental caries experience in terms of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) index was 2.51. Children with visible plaque were the majority (56.1%). The dmft score index was negatively and significantly associated with weight-for-age z-score [Coefficient: -0.11 (95% CI: -0.76, -0.11)] and positively significantly associated with visible plaque score index [Coefficient: 0.16 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.52)] and total sugar exposure [Coefficient: 0.19 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.38)] in the adjusted model. The prevalence of underweight was 4.2% [95% CI: (3.0-5.8)] and severe underweight was 0.2% [95% CI: (0.1-0.9)] while prevalence of stunting was 1.6% [95% CI: (0.9-2.7)] and severe stunting was 0.4% [95% CI: (0.1-1.1)].
conclusionThis study demonstrated a significant negative relationship between ECC and children's anthropometric measures indicated by weight-for-age, and positive relationship with sugar exposure and poor oral hygiene indicated by visible plaque on upper anterior teeth. Controlling risk factors will reduce the occurrence of ECC thereby catering for a healthy population of well-nourished children.
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