Comparative evaluation of two caries detection systems for detecting the prevalence of early childhood caries: A cross‑sectional study

Abstract

Background: The early diagnosis of dental caries is very crucial to prevent tooth loss, which leads
to serious consequences in preschool children. The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic
outcome by the World Health Organization (WHO) and WHO and early carious lesions (ECLs)
(i.e., WHO + ECL) criteria for assessing early childhood caries (ECC) in preschool children.
Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional, comparative study was conducted among 3–5
year old children (n = 358). Clinical examination was conducted using WHO and WHO + ECL
criteria. The data were assessed using paired “t” test. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically
significant.
Results: There was statistically significant difference between the mean decayed, missing, or filled
teeth recorded by the WHO + ECL and WHO (P < 0.05) method.
Conclusion: It was concluded that WHO + ECL criteria were significant and more precise in
assessing the presence of ECL in preschool children.
Key Words: Caries, preschool children, World Health Organization