Figure 6.
Scheme of the experimental design. During the study, we collected information regarding sucrose intake. * Recruitment and Eligibility: Potentially eligible children who were invited to participate (n = 250) and 170 were excluded because parents refuse to sign the informed consent (n = 128) or the number of confirmed eligible children in each group was completed (n = 42) ⟶ 80 Children were examined for eligibility, from those 24 were excluded because they refused to cooperate (n = 6), had a systemic disease (n = 2), had communication difficulties (n = 1), their parents did not cooperate (n = 10) or the number of confirmed children in their respective group was completed (n = 5). The number of confirmed eligible children were 56 according to the equal allocation in the CF and ECC group. **Caries Diagnosis: Caries diagnosis of each dental surface (dmfs) according to the recommendations by the World Health Organization41, along with the diagnosis of initial active caries lesions (IL)43. CF = Caries-free: Absence of caries experience and initial active caries lesions. ECC = Early Childhood Caries: Diagnostic thresholds including all visible signs of caries that can be assessed by dmfs plus diagnosis for initial active caries lesions.