[Early childhood caries and associated risk factors among infants in the German federal state of Brandenburg].

The objective of this study was to determine the caries experience in a representative sample of infants aged 13-36 months in the federal state of Brandenburg in relation to their parents' health behavior and social status. Calibrated public health service dentists examined 661 children in ten districts according to WHO standards (1997). Data on the parents' health behavior and their social status were acquired via questionnaire. The prevalence of caries was 7.4% on enamel-level (d1-4) and 5.3% on dentin-level (d3-4). The caries experience was 0.3 d1-4mft/0.2 d3-4mft. Fifty-two percent of the total caries burden was concentrated on 2% of the children. The restorative index was 19.9% and the care index 10%, respectively. Children of 25-36 months of age and with a lower social status and those who were bottle-fed at night revealed a significantly higher caries risk (OR 3.84, p = 0.005; OR 7.34, p < 0.0001; OR 2.4, p = 0.022) compared to younger children, children with a higher social status, or those without nocturnal bottle use. Intersectoral prevention programs in day-care centers are the favored preventive approach to compensate the socially determined health inequality. The low care index needs to be communicated with the dental association to improve the accessibility of infants in dental practice.