TÌNH TRẠNG SÂU RĂNG SỮA CHƯA ĐƯỢC ĐIỀU TRỊ DỰA TRÊN TỔN THƯƠNG CÓ LỖ VÀ CHƯA CÓ LỖ THEO ICDAS Ở TRẺ 3 TUỔI TẠI TỈNH BÀ RỊA – VŨNG TÀU: NGHIÊN CỨU CẮT NGANG

Abstract

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) and severe ECC (S-ECC) are highly prevalent oral diseases affecting children’s health and quality of life. Previous studies often focused only on cavitated lesions, potentially underestimating the true burden. Objective: To determine the prevalence of untreated caries, including both cavitated and non-cavitated lesions, among 3-year-old children in Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 880 children selected by stratified cluster sampling from 16 urban and rural kindergartens. Caries status was recorded using ICDAS-II by four calibrated examiners. ECC, S-ECC, and untreated caries proportions were calculated at the d₁ (non-cavitated) and d₃ (cavitated) thresholds. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and independent t-tests. Results: ECC prevalence was 74.8% (d₁) and 57.6% (d₃); S-ECC was 60.0% (d₁) and 44.7% (d₃). The proportion of untreated caries was 74.52%  (d₁) and 57.25% (d₃). Rural children had significantly higher caries rates than urban peers (p < 0.05), while no sex differences were observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Untreated caries remains highly prevalent among 3-year-old children, particularly in rural areas. Using ICDAS facilitates early detection of non-cavitated lesions, providing a more comprehensive assessment of caries burden and supporting the development of targeted preventive strategies.