Correlation of early childhood caries with the parental education, occupation, family income and the socio-economic class

Acute Early childhood caries is a public health problem which has biological, social, and behavioural determinants. Aim of This study: The aim of this research is to evaluate the different socio-economical determinants of early childhood caries in north Kolkata. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire-based study was conducted on a sample of 902 children between 2 to 5 years age and their respective parents (either mother or father or both), in north Kolkata in a span of 1 and half years. Either of the parent with higher income was considered as the head of the family. The decayed-missing-filled teeth (dmft) indices (dmft, Greubbell,1994) was recorded for each child in the study population and socio-economical status of the children was determined by their parental education, occupation, monthly family income according to modified Kuppuswamy scale (2017). Statistical Analysis: All the data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA test, Tukey post hoc analysis and unpaired t test. Result: Caries status or prevalence was inversely proportional with parental education, occupation, monthly family income, socio-economic classes. Conclusion: Oral health assessment and dental health education of children at an early stage helps in improving dental behaviour and attitudes, which is beneficial for life time. This can be achieved by educating the parents and mainly reaching out to that class of society who is deprived of education thereby with lower occupational levels and lower socioeconomic status and educating them about oral health through different oral health education programmes.