Abstract: Objective：To investigate the prevalence of primary teeth caries among 3-year-old children in Nanjing and their family oral health care status, and provide the scientific strategy for preventing dental caries. Methods: The sampling method was random in this study. A total of 719 children aged 3 years from Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University were selected in the survey, caries check was carried out by a dentist and the questionnaire were completed by parents. The risk factors of dental caries were analyzed by Chi-square test and Logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of dental caries was 31.85%, and the mean dmft was 1.08±3.70. The key factors for dental caries included oral health education, weaning time, chewing feeding, eating at night, time of brushing and oral health knowledge of parents. Logistic regression was performed, variables remained in the final model were weaning time, eating at night and oral health knowledge of parents. Conclusions: The prevalence of primary teeth caries is high among 3 years old children. Culturing scientific dietary habits and good oral hygiene habits, meanwhile, strengthening parents’ oral health consciousness are very effective for preventing primary teeth caries.

Key words: primary teeth caries, bad feeding habits, oral hygiene, oral health knowledge