# Prevalence of early childhood caries in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

## TL;DR

This study finds that over half of children aged 3-6 in Bhubaneswar, India, have early childhood caries, highlighting the need for prevention and education.

## Contribution

The study provides new prevalence data for ECC in Bhubaneswar and suggests public health interventions.

## Key findings

- 54.78% of 460 children aged 3-6 in Bhubaneswar had early childhood caries.
- The study emphasizes the need for community-based prevention and oral health education.

## Abstract

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) poses a major challenge to young children's oral health worldwide. Therefore, it is of interest to
explore the prevalence of early childhood (between 3-6 years) caries in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. An oral examination of 460 children, chosen
using a random sampling, revealed a 54.78% prevalence of early childhood caries. Data underscore the need for community-based prevention,
public health education targeting parents and caregivers through integrating oral health promotion into primary healthcare to combat
early childhood caries effectively in Bhubaneswar.