Dental Caries: State of the Science for the Most Common Chronic Disease of Childhood

Abstract

Oral health is an integral part of overall health [ [1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Oral health in America: a report of the surgeon general. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Rockville (MD)2000 Google Scholar ]. The oral health status of an individual reflects their general health status and, as such, is an important part of their well being. A body of knowledge is rapidly increasing on the association between oral and systemic health [ 2 Bobetsis Y.A. Barros S.P. Offenbacher S. Exploring the relationship between periodontal disease and pregnancy complications. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006; 137: 7S-13S Crossref PubMed Scopus (105) Google Scholar , 3 Demmer R.T. Desvarieux M. Periodontal infections and cardiovascular disease: the heart of the matter. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006; 137: 14S-20S Crossref PubMed Scopus (174) Google Scholar , 4 Mealey B.L. Periodontal disease and diabetes: a two-way street. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006; 137: 26S-31S Crossref PubMed Scopus (211) Google Scholar ]. This should not be surprising considering that the mouth may serve as a portal of entry for disease, a source of contagion, a primary site for disease that can spread systemically, a frequent site of manifestations of systemic disease, and may contribute to increased morbidity caused by other systemic diseases.