Assessment of Dental Caries Risk and Oral Health Care in Preschool Children Aged 6 Months to 3 Years in Don Tum District, Nakhon Pathom Province
Keywords:
Caries risk assessment, Dental caries in preschool children, Parental oral health behaviorAbstract
Although caries risk assessment (CRA) tools are embedded in Thailand’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) record system, their systematic integration into well-child clinic follow-up protocols remains inconsistent, particularly in semi-rural settings. This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to assess CRA, examining parental oral health care behaviors, and identifying associated factors among preschool children aged 6 months to 3 years.
A total of 94 child–caregiver pairs were recruited using consecutive sampling from the well-child clinic at Don Tum Hospital between July and September 2025. Data collection using the CRA tool from the Thai MCH record, structured questionnaires on knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and enabling factors, and clinical oral examinations performed by dental personnel. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square, or Fisher’s exact tests, were applied.
Results showed that 44.7% and 36.2% of children had moderate and high caries risk, respectively. Dental plaque was observed in 66.0%, white spot lesions in 40.4%, and dental caries in 30.9%. Most caregivers had moderate knowledge and attitudes, while 50.0% exhibited oral health care behaviors requiring improvement. Significant factors associated with caries risk included parental education, household income, oral health literacy, social media exposure, knowledge level, behaviors, and enabling factors (p < 0.05), whereas attitudes were not associated.
These findings support the mandatory integration of structured CRA into well-child clinic protocols, combined with caregiver behavior change interventions delivered through primary care teams and Village Health Volunteers, to reduce early childhood caries in semi-rural Thai communities.
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