Abstract
BackgroundDevelopmental defects of enamel (DDE) may be influenced by health problems and illness in children. The aim of the study was to identify the main characteristics of birth (delivery) and adverse medical conditions during the first month of life that may be related to DDE in permanent teeth.Methods1000 schoolchildren between the ages of 9 and 11 years were selected for this cross-sectional study by multistage randomization from four educational zones in Shiraz in 2013. Intraoral examination was used to diagnose DDE according to World Health Organization screening guidelines and the Modified DDE Index. The data on seven birth factors as well as health and nutritional conditions during the first month of life were collected by a questionnaire completed by the parents, and were analyzed with the chi-squared test, Spearman’s correlation and binary logistic regression.Results469 (48.2%) out of 974 schoolchildren had at least one permanent tooth with DDE. The defects were significantly related with Apgar score at birth <7 (p = 0.003) and illness during the first month (p = 0.035). The frequency of DDE was significantly lower in the third child in families compared to the first and second child (p = 0.005). However, DDE showed no significant relationship with gestational age, delivery type, birth weight, gender or type of feeding during early infancy.ConclusionsThree associated factors were identified (birth Apgar score, illness during the first month of life, birth order) for DDE in permanent teeth. No specific illness was found to be significantly associated with DDE.
Highlights
Developmental defects of enamel (DDE) may be influenced by health problems and illness in children
In an effort to consider a variety of adverse conditions that can affect children at a specific period of time and that may be factors associated with DDE in the permanent dentition, this study investigated the effect of birth characteristics and adverse medical conditions during the first month of life on the presence of DDEs in permanent teeth in a representative group of 9- to 11-year-old children
Fourteen restored permanent teeth were excluded from the study; these children were not excluded from the analysis
Summary
Developmental defects of enamel (DDE) may be influenced by health problems and illness in children. Tooth enamel may be affected by factors that occur before or after tooth eruption or during tooth development. The factors that occur during tooth development are caused by disturbances in the formation and calcification phases of tooth enamel development, and can lead to developmental defects of enamel (DDE) before tooth eruption [1]. These defects are divided in two main groups: hypomineralization (change in the quality of the enamel) and hypoplasia (change in the quantity). DDE may cause problems for children such as increased tooth sensitivity, poor appearance [11,12], increased risk of dental caries [7,13,14,15,16,17,18] and dental attrition [19]
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