Evaluation of severity of dental caries in primary teeth among children 5-7 years-old in Tehran in 2016

This study aimed to assess the severity of tooth decay and related factors in children 5-7 years old, in 2016, in Tehran.
A descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed on 572 children aged 5-7 years old (300 girls and 272 boys) in public schools in Tehran, Iran. Severity of dental caries (number of decayed, missing, filled surfaces) recorded for C, D and E teeth according to WHO criteria. Data analysis was performed by Backward Linear Regression Analyses using SPSS 20 (P≤0.05).
Assessment of dental caries severity according to the number of decayed surfaces showed generally higher figures in upper jaw. The order of average severity of carious teeth was C, E and D from low to high in both jaws. According to the results of Linear Regression Analysis, severity of dental caries was more than other children in boys (OR=1.83, 95%CI: 0.81-2.8), those visited dentist due to dental problems associated with pain (OR=1.17, 95%CI: 0.73-1.6), and those without fluoride therapy (OR=1.64, 95%CI: 0.58-2.6) in C, D and E teeth.
Gender, level of mother's education, type of snack consumption, start age of tooth brushing, reason for dental visit and fluoride therapy affected severity of tooth decay.