OBJECTIVES: Dental caries in early childhood is an important public health problem. Previous studies have examined risk factors, but they have focused on children during the later stages of the disease process. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with caries in children aged 6 to 24 months as part of a cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: Two hundred twelve mothers with children 6 to 24 months of age were recruited from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinic sites in southeastern Iowa for participation in a longitudinal study of dental caries. Baseline assessments included detailed questions regarding the children's beverage consumption, oral hygiene, and family socioeconomic status. Dental caries examinations using the d(1)d(2-3)f criteria and semiquantitative assessments of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) levels of mother and child were also conducted. Counts of the number of teeth with visible plaque were recorded for maxillary and mandibular molars and incisors. RESULTS: Of the 212 child/mother pairs, 187 children had teeth. Among these children, the mean age was 14 months, and 23 of the children exhibited either d(1), d(2-3), or filled lesions. Presence of caries was significantly associated with older age, presence of MS in children, family income <$25,000 per year, and proportion of teeth with visible plaque. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that not only microbial measures, including MS and plaque levels, are closely associated with caries in very young children, but that other age-related factors may also be associated with caries. Continued study is necessary to more fully assess the risk factors for caries prevalence and incidence in preschool children.
OBJECTIVES: Dental caries in early childhood is an important public health problem. Previous studies have examined risk factors, but they have focused on children during the later stages of the disease process. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with caries in children aged 6 to 24 months as part of a cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: Two hundred twelve mothers with children 6 to 24 months of age were recruited from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinic sites in southeastern Iowa for participation in a longitudinal study of dental caries. Baseline assessments included detailed questions regarding the children's beverage consumption, oral hygiene, and family socioeconomic status. Dental caries examinations using the d(1)d(2-3)f criteria and semiquantitative assessments of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) levels of mother and child were also conducted. Counts of the number of teeth with visible plaque were recorded for maxillary and mandibular molars and incisors. RESULTS: Of the 212 child/mother pairs, 187 children had teeth. Among these children, the mean age was 14 months, and 23 of the children exhibited either d(1), d(2-3), or filled lesions. Presence of caries was significantly associated with older age, presence of MS in children, family income <$25,000 per year, and proportion of teeth with visible plaque. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that not only microbial measures, including MS and plaque levels, are closely associated with caries in very young children, but that other age-related factors may also be associated with caries. Continued study is necessary to more fully assess the risk factors for caries prevalence and incidence in preschool children.
Authors: Tariq Ghazal; Steven M Levy; Noel K Childers; Barbara Broffitt; Gary R Cutter; Howard W Wiener; Mirjam C Kempf; John Warren; Joseph E Cavanaugh Journal: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol Date: 2015-03-16 Impact factor: 3.383
Authors: John J Warren; Karin Weber-Gasparoni; Teresa A Marshall; David R Drake; Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil; Deborah V Dawson; Katie M Tharp Journal: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol Date: 2008-11-12 Impact factor: 3.383
Authors: Karin Weber-Gasparoni; John J Warren; Johnmarshall Reeve; David R Drake; Katherine W O Kramer; Teresa A Marshall; Deborah V Dawson Journal: Pediatr Dent Date: 2013 May-Jun Impact factor: 1.874
Authors: S Amanda Dumas; Katelynn E Weaver; Seo Young Park; Deborah E Polk; Robert J Weyant; Debra L Bogen Journal: Clin Pediatr (Phila) Date: 2013-04-09 Impact factor: 1.168
Authors: Pedrita Mara do Espírito Santo de Souza; Mariana Almeida Mello Proença; Mayra Moura Franco; Vandilson Pinheiro Rodrigues; José Ferreira Costa; Elizabeth Lima Costa Journal: Eur J Dent Date: 2015 Jan-Mar