A study, published in Caries Research (March), investigated early childhood caries (ECC) risk indicators in a nonfluoridated Australian community. It involved children aged 0 to 4 years recruited from childcare facilities: middle socioeconomic sites (SES), public hospitals (low SES), and private clinics (high SES); and recorded caries, visible plaque, enamel hypoplasia, and the presence of Streptococcus mutans. Mothers completed questionnaires for the child about dental history, tooth brushing, bottle/breast feeding, frequency of eating and drinking, and fluoride use, and the mothers were interviewed and examined. Then completed surveys to determine social, medical, and dental histories, dental caries experience, presence or absence of plaque, S mutans, and gingival inflammation. Using a multinomial logistic regression model, middle and lower SES ECC cases were separately compared with ECC-free controls and confirmed the previous identified common risk indicators for all children with ECC: visible plaque, S mutans, and frequent sugar ingestion. Disparities in risk indicators according to SES were identified: enamel hypoplasia and maternal S mutans were dominant in high SES; enamel hypoplasia, difficulty brushing the teeth, adding sweeteners to drinks, and maternal anxiety were dominant in middle SES; and immigrant status/ethnicity, and mother’s access to a pension or healthcare card were dominant in low SES. Prevention should include reduction of cariogenic bacteria by providing early dental examinations and interventions in young children as well as dental care and behavioral interventions for their mothers.
(Source: Oakstone Review, May 2009)
