الفهرس 
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Abstract
Early childhood caries (ECC) has become a significant health problem in all populations. ECC is defined as the presence of one or more decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a child at 71 months of age or younger. Aim of the study : to evaluate the knowledge and Attitude of mothers towards ECC, determine the possible risk factors of ECC and determine the relationship between the caries experience of the mothers and the ECC experience of their children. Methodology : A cross sectional study was done among 1500 mother and their children who aged 1-4 years old. This study was based on close ended Questionnaires interview, in addition to clinical examination of the mothers and children. Salivary samples were collected from 150 mothers and their children to determine streptococcus mutans bacterial count. Results : this study showed that the mean total correct maternal knowledge were 9.71±2.34. While the mean total positive attitude of mothers was 6.96±1.82. The total good knowledge represented the lowest value 393(26.2%). Mothers reported good and fair attitude were comparable to each other (40.2% and 42.4% respectively). In addition, this study showed that independent predictors of ECC are mothers fair and poor knowledge about ECC with odds ratio (OR) 2.097 and 1.613 respectively, high cariogenic bacterial count in mothers and children with OR 6.091 and 3.367 respectively. Conclusion : Child sleep with bottle, Children with medium bacterial count and mothers with high bacterial count are Independent predictors for ECC, ordered from the highest to the lowest risk.