PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the early childhood caries (ECC) prevalence among preschoolers aged 3-5 years in Xiangyun of Yunnan, China and explore the factors associated with the prevalence.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey including 3-5-year-old children was conducted in Xiangyun County, China, between September and November 2020. According to the dental examination standard of the WHO 2013 criteria, the presence of ECC was recorded. Besides the dental examination for children, their parents completed questionnaires about caries-related factors, including demographic variables, family socioeconomic status, feeding, and oral health-related habits, parental dental knowledge, and the condition of dental service utilization. SPSS Statistics 25.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe ECC prevalence among a sample of 1,280 children aged 3–5 years consisting of 665 boys and 615 girls in this study, was 74.3%, and the mean decayed-missing-filled teeth (dmft) was 4.9 ± 5.0. There were no statistically significant differences in the ECC prevalence between the sexes and among different ethnic groups. Children with different dietary and oral hygiene habits showed no significantly different prevalence of ECC. Logistic regression analysis showed that the most significantly associated factors were older age, lower family income, and worse parental perception of children's oral health status.ConclusionThe ECC prevalence among 3–5-year-old preschool children in Xiangyun was higher than the average national ECC prevalence in China. This study implies that more attention should be given to children's caries prevention from early childhood; oral health education and promotion should be intensified to reduce the ECC prevalence and improve the oral health status of children in Xiangyun.

PurposeThis study aimed to explore the caries prevalence of the first permanent molar (FPM) and the associated factors among second-grade students in Xiangyun of Yunnan, China.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in Xiangcheng Town, Xiangyun County, China, from September to November 2020. The methodology recommended by WHO was used for the dental examination. All the parents were required to complete a questionnaire to collect information on children's family background, dietary habits, oral health behaviors and parental oral health-related knowledge. The tests of significance used were the chi-square test. The association between dental caries prevalence and its associated factors was investigated using logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsData of 1,295 second graders consisting of 665 males and 630 females were analyzed. The caries prevalence of FPM was 47.6%, and the mean DMFT was 1.11 ± 1.394 in this sample. Among all the children with caries, the filling rate is meager, 2.6%. There were statistically significant differences in the caries prevalence of FPM among age groups. No significant difference existed between the sexes. Logistic regression analysis showed that the most significantly associated factors were: consuming desserts at least once a day, no fluoride varnish application experience, worse parental perception of children's oral health status, and incorrect parental knowledge of whether decayed primary teeth need treatment.ConclusionCaries prevalence of FPM among second-grade schoolchildren in Xiangyun was considerably higher than the average prevalence nationwide in China. As China aims to reduce dental caries to <25% of 12-year-old children in 2030, the local government of remote regions like Xiangyun needs to do much more to achieve this goal. Results of this study could provide a framework for ongoing and future public oral health programs and policy planning in Xiangyun, with particular attention to early preventive and therapeutic measures.