Early Childhood Caries as Influenced by Maternal and Child Characteristics in the Age-group of 24–71 Months Using pufa/PUFA Index

Lack of awareness among mothers about the adverse effects of sharing utensils with their children and the harmful effects of keeping a bottle in a child's mouth increases the severity of caries among their children.Evidence suggests that parental engagement is required during the perinatal period for effective prevention of ECC. 4 IntroductIonOral health is an essential part of general health and touches every aspect of our lives.The oral cavity serves as a window into the health of our body.Oral lesions and other related problems may sometimes manifest as the first sign of a systemic disease.Thus, maintaining oral health is of utmost importance.Dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood.It is now understood as a noncommunicable disease (NCD). 1 Early childhood caries (ECC) is identified as a serious health problem due to its high prevalence, impact on the quality of life, potential for increased risk of caries in permanent dentition, and its role in general health.Several studies have evaluated and categorized the risk factors of ECC, such as improper feeding habits, use of bottles containing sweetened beverages, prolonged breastfeeding/bottle feeding, presence of nighttime feeding, increased frequency of snack intake, sugar intake, brushing techniques, frequency of brushing, maternal factors such as high decayed, missing, filled surfaces permanent teeth (DMFS) scores, poor oral hygiene status, maternal sharing of utensils, maternal education, family income, and parents' awareness of maintaining good oral hygiene.