ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES:THE MODE OF DELIVERY, FEEDING PRACTICES AND 0RAL HYGIENE HABITS IN 3-6 YEARS OLD IN UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN.

Background: Dental caries is an international public health challenge in young children. Early Childhood Caries is a rapidly progressing disease leading to severe pain, anxiety, and sleep loss, and is a major health problem.The study's objective is to determine the relationship between early childhood caries in Udaipur children and their feeding practices,oral hygiene practices,and mode of birth.Aim:To determine the relationship between early childhood caries in children with feeding practices,oral hygiene practices,and mode of birth.Methodology: A cross-sectional study is being conducted involving 270 children aged 3 to 6 years along with their mothers,recruited from Anganwadis,and play homes.". Data on feeding, mode of delivery and oral hygiene habits is obtained through interviews using a structured questionnaire and oral examination is being performed using a mouth mirror and a blunt explorer.The severity of caries experience of children is measured using dmft index. The criteria of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is used to categorise ECC. Evaluation of caries will be done based on the criteria given by World Health Organisation (WHO).Regarding the assessment of dental plaque,Silness and Loe (1964) plaque index is used.The tabulated data will be statistically analyzed using turkey post hoc test.Results:Conclusion: