Caries prevalence in 3-year-old children living in a low socio-economic multicultural urban area in southern Sweden.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of dental caries in 3-year-old children living in a multi-cultural low socio-economic urban area of Malmö, Sweden, and to establish its relationship to some medical, oral and behavioural factors associated with caries risk. All 238 children that became 3 years of age between July and December 2000 were invited to participate and 94% showed up for examination. The parents completed a structured questionnaire concerning social and ethnic background, medical history and oral health behaviour and a clinical examination of the child was performed in optimal light with a mirror and probe. Visible plaque, gingival health and occurrence of initial and manifest caries lesions, extractions and fillings (defs) were scored. The prevalence of caries was 85% with a mean defs value of 4.4 +/- 4.3. Of those with caries, 55% had manifest lesions while 45% exhibited lesions that were limited within the enamel. The variables significantly associated with caries were frequent intake of meals (odds ratio, OR = 6.0), gingivitis (OR = 3.7), presence of visible plaque (OR = 3.2) and compromising medical conditions (OR = 2.7). Children without fluoride supplements or fluoridated toothpaste had significantly (p < 0.05) more caries that those with a daily intake of fluoride (mean defs 7.2 +/- 5.3 vs 4.0 +/- 4.0). In conclusion, a high prevalence of caries was found in a low socio-economic multi-cultural population in an urban area of Malmö, Sweden. Thus, early childhood caries may still be a public health problem in certain groups, which calls for collective preventive measures to be re-instituted.