Evaluation of children's age and reasons for first dental visit in Spain. A multicentre study

Background: To the best of our knowledge, no multicentre study has evaluated the age and reasons for the first dental visit (FDV) among children in Spain. In response, we conducted this multicentre study to assess and analyse the present findings, raise awareness of the topic, and motivate establish preventive programs to encourage earlier FDVs, before the onset of dental caries. The aims of this investigation consisted of determining the age and the main reasons for the first dental consultation. Methods: A multicentre study was designed, and children who attended their FDV at three different centres were recruited. Seven reasons for the FDV were considered. To identify the severity of caries, a simplified 4-stage classification system was employed. The chi-square test and Cramer’s V coefficient were used for analysis, and the threshold for statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The study included 687 paediatric patients. The mean age at FDV was 4.83 years and the most common reasons for the dental visit were caries detected by parents (n = 203), followed by preventive measures (n = 184) and then by pain (n = 152). Overall, 63.9% of the children were affected by caries, of which 33.6% had lesions extended to the dentin. No statistically significant difference was found based on sex. However, there was a direct association between age, the need for treatment, and caries severity. Conclusions: Children attended their FDV late, with the main reason being caries detected by parents. The prevalence of caries was high, and in most cases, these caries lesions were severe, extending into the dentin. Increased age was associated with the presence of caries and the need for treatment. This suggests that children are not generally attending the dentist for preventive measures.

Child; Dental caries; Oral health; First dental visit; Early childhood caries; Paediatric dentistry; Multicentre study

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