Carious lesion severity and demarcated hypomineralized lesions of tooth enamel in schoolchildren from Melbourne, Australia.

K Gambetta-Tessini,D J Manton,H Calache,A Ghanim,R Mariño

doi:10.1111/adj.12626

K Gambetta-Tessini, D J Manton + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1111/adj.12626

Copy DOI

Abstract

Developmental hypomineralized lesions of enamel (DHL) may represent a significant caries-risk factor. The aim of this study was to determine the association between carious lesion severity and DHL in 6- to 12-year-old schoolchildren from Melbourne, Australia. The sample was derived from randomly selected schools in inner Melbourne. A full dental examination was performed at the school. Socio-demographic data, caries experience (DMFT/dmft/ICDAS II) and the consequences of untreated carious lesions (PUFA/pufa) were measured. DHL, molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) and hypomineralized second primary molar (HSPM) presence were assessed using the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) criteria. Of the children examined (n=327), 26.9% had DHL. The prevalence of MIH and HSPM was 14.7% and 8%, respectively. Almost 20% of children had severe carious lesions (ICDAS 5 & 6) in at least one permanent or primary tooth. Ordinal regression analyses indicated that DHL (OR=2.17; 95% CI: 1.35-3.49) and being born overseas (OR=2.59, 95% CI: 1.66-4.06) increased the likelihood of severe carious lesions. One of four children had DHL. DHL-affected children had an increased likelihood of presenting untreated severe carious lesions compared with DHL-free children.

Highlights

Dental caries is the most frequently diagnosed oral health condition amongst children around the world.[1]
Developmental Developmental hypomineralised lesions of enamel (DHL) may act as a significant risk factor in low to medium caries-risk communities,[10] the aim of the present study is to determine the association between carious lesion severity and DHL in 6 to 12 year-old schoolchildren from Melbourne, Australia
Participants born overseas had significantly higher likelihood of DMFT higher than zero and dmft higher than zero (OR = 1.93, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.14 – 3.27, p = 0.01) when compared with children born in Australia (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Dental caries is the most frequently diagnosed oral health condition amongst children around the world.[1]. The aetiology of dental caries is multi-factorial, involving complex interactions between the commensal oral microbiome and associated risk or protective factors, such as diet, behaviour, oral hygiene, genetics, host-susceptibility characteristics and sociodemographic factors.[3,4] Demarcated hypomineralised lesions of enamel (DHL) are developmental qualitative defects of tooth enamel, clinically characterised by welldefined areas of hypomineralisation. These defects are a relevant, but under-recognised risk factor for carious lesion development, and they may have an impact on caries experience, carious lesion severity and treatment burden, in both primary and permanent dentitions.[5,6]. DHL-affected children had an increased likelihood of presenting untreated severe carious lesions compared to DHL-free children

Objectives

Results

Conclusion