IMPACT OF ORAL HYGIENE, DIETARY HABITS AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON DENTAL CARIES AMONG CHILDREN AGED 5-8YEARS: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUDY

Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent chronic diseases affecting children worldwide, with significant implications for pain, systemic health, growth, and quality of life.[1,2] While fundamentally driven by cariogenic bacteria fermenting dietary sugars, the etiology of caries is recognized as multifactorial, intricately woven with behavioral, social, and economic determinants.[3,4] This is particularly evident during the critical developmental window of ages 5 to 8 years, when children transition from primary to mixed dentition. During this period, establishing lifelong health habits is crucial, yet children are also highly susceptible to the caries-promoting effects of poor diet and inadequate oral care.