Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the oral health status, significant caries index and utilization of dental care among preschool children.
Subjects and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 581 children aged 2-5 years attending preschools and living in 6th October city, Egypt. The clinical examination of oral health status followed the World Health Organization's guidelines for oral health surveys, 1997. Dental caries was determined using the decayed, missed and filled teeth (dmft) index. Significant caries index (SiC) and care index (CI) were also calculated. Tooth brushing habits at school and lunchbox contents of those children were also analyzed using a questionnaire distributed to pre- school teachers.
Results: The overall prevalence of dental caries was 50.6% and the prevalence of early childhood caries was found to be 11.5%. The total mean dmft score of the examined children was 2.1±2.722 where the decayed component was dominant. The mean population SiC was 5.19±2.410 and the care index was found to be low with a mean of 6.2%. Visible plaque was found on tooth surfaces of 20.7% of the children and sugary snacks consumption was common among all children. Conclusion The prevalence of dental caries in this population was high and most of the decayed teeth were not treated. Implementation of oral health preventive and treatment campaigns is required to achieve optimal oral health in preschool children in this community.