Abstract: Abstract: Objective To investigate the status of deciduous caries in 3-6 year-old children in Jinan, Shan dong Province, China; and to assess the caries risk of children using Cariogram software to analyze the factors affecting the caries rate. Methods 493 healthy children from 5 kindergartens in Jinan city were randomly selected for the study. Various caries risk factors were collected by oral examination, caries activity detection and a dietary questionnaire. And then the data were analyzed and all patients were divided into the higher risk group and the lower risk group by Cariogram software. Statistical analysis was carried out to analyze the risk factors of caries. Results The prevalence of dental caries in 3-6 year-old children of Jinan city was 67.95%，DMFT 3.45.The higher risk group was 74.84% of the total, and possessed more Mutans streptococci counts, high plaque index, high carbonhydrate diets compared with lower caries risk group and the differences were statistically significant, but secretion rate and buffer capacity were not significantly different. Conclusions The prevalence of dental caries in 3-6 year-old children in Jinan city is high. Rigid oral hygiene protocols ,controlling the dental plaque and sugar intake are needed to prevent deciduous caries.

Key words: caries risk, risk assessment, cariogram, influenncing factors