Prevalência da cárie de acometimento precoce em crianças pré-escolares do município de Lagarto-SE

Abstract

Early childhood caries is a rapidly progressing disease that can cause systemic impacts and be detrimental to child development. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of this disease in children of the public pre-school system in the city of Lagarto - SE. The study was submitted and approved by the Research Ethics Committee Involving Human Beings of the Federal University of Sergipe. A survey was carried out of public nurseries (pre-scholar education centers) in the city, following the geographical division of the Municipal Education Department. Caries disease was investigated in children aged 3 to 5 years, both sexes, by means of clinical examination under natural light in schools, with wooden spatulas, followed by registration of the dmft index. The caries experience was categorized as: caries free (dmft = 0), low (dmft ≤5) and high prevalence of caries (dmft ≥6). We examined 191 children, 52.9% male and 47.1% female. It was observed that 59.2% of the children presented dmft = 0; 29.3% showed a dmft ≤ 5; and 11.5% showed a dmft ≥ 6. It was concluded that there was no statistically significant difference regarding caries and sex experience nor to the location of the schools. The number of decayed teeth was significantly higher than filled teeth, emphasizing that the need for treatment in the evaluated children is quite high. Oral health promotion must be constantly reinforced and, the earlier it is performed, it can contribute in a preventive way by avoiding the onset of the disease.