Abstract
Introduction
Sugar ingestion is the most important isolated factor related to dental caries. Contact with sugary foods at an early age may represent a risk to the oral health of preschool children.
Objective
To evaluate the timing of the introduction of sugar in the diet of preschoolers and its association with early childhood caries.
Material and method
Cross-sectional population-based study with 888 five-year-old preschoolers from public and private schools. Parents answered a questionnaire on sociodemographic data, eating habits and oral health. The variables timing of sugar introduction (>1 year and ≤1 year) and dental caries experience were dichotomized and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Poisson regression (p<0.05).
Result
The introduction of sugar in the diet occurred during the first twelve months of life for 73.8% of preschoolers. There was no association between the timing of sugar introduction and early childhood caries (p>0.05). The interruption of exclusive breastfeeding and low family income increased the prevalence of preschoolers having early contact with sugar by 32% and 23%, respectively (p<0.05). The prevalence of early childhood caries was 42.3% and was associated with a lower level of maternal education, low income, increased frequency of ingestion of candy and the use of nonfluoridated toothpaste (p<0.05).
Conclusion
The introduction of sugar in the diet occurred during the first year of life in most preschoolers and there was no association with early childhood caries.
Descriptors:
Sugars; diet; dental caries; child
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