Dental caries status of Lisu preschool children in Yunnan Province, China: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Dental caries is still considered a major public health concern for human beings, especially minority groups and those living in disadvantaged communities. The Lisu is a minority group in China of more than 702,000 people located primarily in Yunnan Province. The present study was aimed at studying the status of dental caries status, as well as its risk factors, among Lisu children aged 5 years in Yunnan Province, China.


METHODS
A multistage cluster sampling method was employed for participants' recruitment. Two calibrated dentists carried out the clinical examination with dental mirrors and CPI probes under an LED headlight. The dental caries experience was assessed by the dmft index. Oral hygiene status was evaluated using the visible plaque index (VPI). Information on the child's socio-demographic characteristics and oral health-related practices were collected using a parental questionnaire. A zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINB) was employed to analyse the associations between the dental caries status and the children's social-demographic status and their oral health-related behaviours.


RESULTS
In all, 470 Lisu children aged 5 were invited, and 404 were examined. Their mean dmft (±SD) and caries prevalence were 5.6 ± 4.8 and 80%, respectively. Their mean VPI scores were 58% ± 21%. Lisu children who brushed their teeth at least once daily had higher dmft scores, and children from high-income families were more likely to have dental caries.


CONCLUSION
The prevalence of dental caries among Lisu children aged 5 years in Yunnan, China was high, and their caries status was severe, with a majority of carious teeth untreated. The dental caries experience of Lisu children aged 5 was related to their brushing frequency and families' economic backgrounds.
['Zhang|Shinan|S|', 'Li|Yuexiao|Y|', 'Liu|Juan|J|', 'Wang|Weiqi|W|', 'Ito|Leticia|L|', 'Li|Samamtha Kar Yan|SKY|', 'Li|Yanhong|Y|0000-0003-2271-7136']
D002675:Child, Preschool D002681:China D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D004245:DMF Index D003731:Dental Caries D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D009909:Oral Health D009910:Oral Hygiene D015995:Prevalence
Dental caries China Minority Child Ethnic