Early Childhood Caries In Children Research Articles

Comparative salivary proteomics analysis of children with and without early childhood caries using the DIA approach: A pilot study.

To screen differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the saliva of Early childhood caries (ECC) with different degrees of severity. The proteomic profiles of salivary of children with ECC of varying severity by data independent acquisition data independent acquisition (DIA) technique. A total of 12 preschool children aged 3-5 years were included in this study. In this study, a total of 15,083 peptides and 1944 proteins were quantified; The results of DEPs screening showed that 34 DEPs were identified between the group H and the group LC, including 18 up-regulated proteins and 16 down-regulated proteins; 34 DEPs were screened between the group H and the group HC, including 17 up-regulated proteins and 17 down-regulated proteins; 42 DEPs were screened between the group LC and the group HC, including 18 up-regulated proteins and 24 down-regulated proteins. Among these DEPs, we screened several key proteins that may play a role in ECC, such as MK, histone H4, TGFβ3, ZG16B, MUC20, and SMR-3B. Salivary proteins, as important host factors of caries, are differentially expressed between the saliva of ECC children and healthy children. Specific DEPs are expected to become potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of ECC.

Relationship between early childhood caries and parents' knowledge and attitudes towards primary teeth

IntroductionThis study aims to assess the correlation between parents' knowledge of primary teeth and early childhood caries (ECC). MethodsA study questionnaire consisting of 27 statements was presented to the parents of 500 children aged 0–6 years to obtain their responses. The dmft (decayed, missed, and filled teeth) index values of the children were also recorded. ResultsThe average number of correct answers was 16.41. There was a statistically significant difference in the relationship between parents' knowledge levels and their children's ECC diagnoses. The knowledge levels of parents whose children did not have caries were found to be higher (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant relationship between the parents' knowledge level and their gender, educational status, occupation, income status, and child's age (p < 0.05). ConclusionIncreased parental knowledge of the importance of primary teeth has a positive relationship with a child's oral health, which can be influenced by sociodemographic characteristics.

Relationship between parental adverse childhood experiences and the prevalence of early childhood caries.

The aim of this study was to examine the behavioural health conditions associated with parents' retrospective adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scores and their children's early childhood caries (ECC) in parent-child dyads. Parents with children younger than 72 months were included in the study. A relational screening model was used. Interaction among ACEs, ECC, nutritional habits and oral hygiene habits were evaluated. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used in the study. Multiple variables were evaluated using the artificial neural network (ANN) model. The mean age of the 535 children included in the study was 46.5 months, and 52% were female. Using the ANN model, there was a statistically significant relationship between the educational status of the mothers in both the ECC and severe ECC (S-ECC) groups and the socioeconomic status of the family (p < 0.05). If the number of snacks consumed daily was three or more, the risk of ECC was statistically significantly higher (chi-square test p = 0.034). The parents' ACEs scores had an impact on both ECC and S-ECC formation (p = 0.001, t-test). The higher the ACEs score, the higher the risk of S-ECC. The mean ACEs scores of the parents were also significantly higher in both the ECC and S-ECC groups compared to those of the parents of children without dental caries (p = 0.001, t-test). It was calculated that ACEs scores were effective at a rate of 18.2% on ECC (p = 0.045, ANN). The ACEs scores of parents have an impact on the oral health of young children and ECC/S-ECC formation. The long-term effects of parental ACEs are reflected in their children's oral health. Therefore, reducing the psychosocial determinants ACEs and providing parental support may help in overcoming barriers to the well-being of young children and may facilitate better oral health.

Estimation and Association of Total Protein Concentration with Early Childhood Caries in 3-6-year-old Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Caries is a common problem witnessed in children, early childhood caries (ECC) is the most predominant chronic disease which not only leads to distress and pain but also poor quality of life, thus affecting the overall well-being of children. Salivary protein plays a vital part in monitoring health status or disease. It was stated that the salivary proteins could regulate the equilibrium of oral health, preserve a stable ecosystem, and constrain the growth of cariogenic bacteria. The aim of this study is to estimate the total protein concentration in saliva and its correlation to ECC. A total of 20 patients with ECC in the age-group of 3-6 years were selected as the experimental group and 20 patients without caries for the control group. Unstimulated saliva samples were collected and subjected to spectrophotometry. The data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis. Independent student's t-test was used for the comparison of mean salivary pH between the caries group and the control group. Mann-Whitney test was used for a comparison of salivary total protein concentrations between the two groups. The mean pH of the carious group showed a statistically significant slightly lower value than that of the noncarious group. On the contrary, the mean total protein concentration of the carious group presented a statistically significant higher value than that of the noncarious group. Age-wise comparison of mean salivary proteins in the carious group and the noncarious group showed an increase in the protein concentration in the children aged 4 years or younger. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that there is a strong association between the total protein concentration in saliva and ECC. There exists a significant increase in the total protein concentration in children with ECC. As age increases, total protein concentration decreases with age. Total protein concentration and particular protein estimation and quantification help us in assessing the risk of caries in children at the earliest and prevention of caries through preventive measures. Estimation of total salivary protein concentration in children can be a marker for ECC in children. Thimmegowda U, Pai S, Chikkanarasaiah N, et al. Estimation and Association of Total Protein Concentration with Early Childhood Caries in 3-6-year-old Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(1):36-40.

Exploring the association between early childhood caries, malnutrition, and anemia by machine learning algorithm.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of early childhood caries in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and also the hierarchy of association if any with malnutrition, anemia, and other risk factors with ECC using machine learning algorithms. A hospital-based preventive and interventional study was conducted on SAM children (age = 2 to <6 years) who were admitted to the malnutrition treatment unit (MTU). An oral examination for early childhood caries status was done using the deft index. The anthropometric measurements and blood examination reports were recorded. Oral health education and preventive dental treatments were given to the admitted children. Three machine learning algorithms (Random Tree, CART, and Neural Network) were applied to assess the relationship between early childhood caries, malnutrition, anemia, and the risk factors. The Random Tree model showed that age was the most significant factor in predicting ECC with predictor importance of 98.75%, followed by maternal education (29.20%), hemoglobin level (16.67%), frequency of snack intake (9.17%), deft score (8.75%), consumption of snacks (7.1%), breastfeeding (6.25%), severe acute malnutrition (5.42%), frequency of sugar intake (3.75%), and religion at the minimum predictor importance of 2.08%. Anemia and malnutrition play a significant role in the prediction, hence in the causation of ECC. Pediatricians should also keep in mind that anemia and malnutrition have a negative impact on children's dental health. Hence, Pediatricians and Pediatric dentist should work together in treating this health problem.

Stunting dan Malnutrisi Penyebab Kelainan Email Gigi Anak dan Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Komprehensif Review

Background: Childhood dental health is a vital component of overall well-being, with Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and defect enamel being major concerns. This article explores the intricate connection between stunting, malnutrition, and the development of defect enamel and ECC in children. Methods: Narrative review use Pubmed and Google Scholar databases with article inclusion criteria, namely research articles and reviews that discuss the relationship between enamel defects and malnutrition and ECC with malnutrition Results: Childhood malnutrition, characterized by inadequate intake of essential nutrients, poses a significant global health challenge. Stunting, a manifestation of chronic malnutrition, adversely affects physical growth and cognitive development in children. However, the link between malnutrition and dental health has not received adequate attention. This article examines the mechanisms through which malnutrition, specifically stunting, can contribute to the development of defective enamel in children. Nutritional deficiencies, particularly in calcium, vitamin D, and fluoride, are identified as key culprits in compromising enamel formation and strength. Weakening of the enamel leaves teeth vulnerable to dental caries, including ECC, which can lead to pain and long-term oral health problems. The complex relationship between malnutrition, stunting, defect enamel, and ECC calls for multifaceted solutions. Conclusion: This article highlights the importance of holistic public health initiatives, which encompass nutritional education for caregivers and improved access to dental care services for at-risk children. Interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals is emphasized to address the synergistic nature of these interconnected health challenges.

Prevalence and socio-behavioral determinants of early childhood caries in children 1-5- year- old in Iran.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), early childhood caries (ECC) is still considered a major global health problem despite the general improvement in oral health practice. This study aimed to assess ECC's prevalence, severity, and key social and behavioral determinants in Iranian children 1-5- years of age. This cross-sectional study recruited Iranian 1-5-year-olds with a three-stage stratified clustered sampling method. After providing consent, parents were interviewed using a validated questionnaire, including questions on child characteristics and behavioral factors. Each child underwent a dental examination by one of four trained and calibrated dentists. Associations between key covariates of interest and primary outcome measures were assessed by multivariable logistic regression modeling and multivariate generalized negative binomial regression modeling after weightings were applied. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V25 and Stata V14.2 software packages. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. The mean age of 909 participants was 41.1±1.2 months, 48.6% were male, and 38.1% lived in rural areas. The overall prevalence of ECC was 53.2% and mean dmft score was 2.7± 0.3. Key determinants associated with ECC included living rurally (p = 0.009, OR = 2.13), consuming sweet drinks, sugary snacks, or both [p-value = 0.02 (OR = 2.53), and p-value<0.001 (OR = 4.96), respectively], and visible plaque (p<0.001, OR = 3.41). Covariates associated with dmft scores included residing in rural regions (p = 0.02, IRR = 1.31), having both sugary snacks and sweet drinks (p = 0.02, IRR = 1.85) compared to those had none, and visible dental plaque (p<0.001, IRR = 2.06). The prevalence of dental caries in children is high in Iran. The increase of ECC prevalence and severity from toddlers to preschoolers emphasizes on the critical importance of early interventions in toddlers. Improving access to care for rural children is essential along with the need to change dietary and self-care behaviors through multilevel efforts.

A Review on Maternal Parenting, Child's Growth Stunting, and Oral Health.

Stunting has gained global attention as one of the most critical problems in public health. As the first and dominant figure in a child's life, the mother is responsible for determining the proper parenting behaviors to apply to maintain the child's physical health. Stunting is often associated with early childhood caries (ECC) and molar incisor hypomineralization, which can be manifested into each other through various mechanisms. Therefore, it is crucial to explore how far maternal parenting behaviors affect stunting and oral health. This study aims to determine which maternal parenting behaviors can affect stunting and oral health. A systematic search was used through PubMed and Google Scholar to search for published articles between 2011 and 2021. The articles analyze maternal parenting behaviors with stunting and poor oral health. Final analysis was used on 21 articles containing 18 cross-sectional studies, 2 cohort studies, and 1 randomized controlled trial. The result implied that the high prevalence of stunting and ECC is the combined result of prolonged breastfeeding practices (7 articles), poor complementary feeding practice (6 articles), high consumption of sugar (5 articles), and poor oral hygiene practices (5 articles). Maternal parenting styles in the aspect of fulfilling nutrition and maintaining oral health affect the occurrence of stunting and ECC in children.

Dental Caries Experience in Children in Public Kindergartens of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dental caries first occurs within primary dentition in toddlers and preschool children, in a form of early childhood caries (ECC). In every day's busy and employment burdened parenting, caretakers and institutions have become important even more nowadays, not only for forming child general behavior and character, but also for maintenance of their general and oral health as well. To evaluate the presence and severity of ECC in children who attended public kindergartens in Sarajevo, and to offer basic information for the maintenance and improvement of child oral health to their parents and kindergarten teachers. The study included 1722 preschool children aged 3-6 years who attended kindergartens within Sarajevo public kindergarten institution, together with their parents and kindergarten teachers. Dental team members gradually visited all kindergartens situated in four Sarajevo city municipalities and examined kindergarten children according to the WHO Oral Health Survey Manual. Oral health promotion material for parents and kindergarten teachers was also distributed simultaneously during sequential visits. ECC was present in preschool kindergarten children in Sarajevo, with its high prevalence (67.71%); dmft-value (3.97) and severity (SiC index 8.79). There was also a significant lack of dental healthcare to examined children mostly related to lack of visiting dental offices by children's parents (CI=10.55%, RI=10.80%, TI=12.98%). Parental role in preserving and improving of their children oral health should be systematically and profoundly improved. Kindergarten officials and staff should recognize the importance of anticariogenic diet menus and oral hygiene maintenance within their institutions.

Bacterial profile in children with early childhood caries

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood in the world, caused by the interaction of the host (oral cavity), substrate, microbes, and time. Bacteria as microbes that play a role in the formation of ECC have been widely studied. This study aims to determine the bacterial profile in children with ECC and to compare the oral microbial profiles in children with ECC and caries-free children (CF). Methods: This study uses a scoping review method. Article searches were performed on the PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases, using the keyword and Boolean operator "(early childhood caries) AND (profile bacterial OR bacterial) AND (children)." The initial search obtained 1356 articles. All articles were then selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria using the PRISMA procedure to receive 14 articles. Results: Analysis of 14 articles showed that 11 articles reported that Streptococcus mutans had high levels of ECC in children. Other bacteria with lesser numbers were Provetella, Veillonella, S. wiggsae, S. sobrinus, Lactobacillus, Leptrotrichia shahii, and Leptrotrichia IK04. Neisseria, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus salivarius, and Leptotrichia buccalis were found in CF children. Other bacteria such as Hemophilus paraphrohaemolyticus HK411, Neisseria sicca 4320, Neisseria sp. oral clones AP132, Actinobacillus pleuro-pneumoniae MCCM 00189, and Streptococcus sp. ASCE06 oral clone was found in CF children but not in ECC children, while Lactobacillus sp C56 was found in half of ECC children and not in CF children. Conclusion: Streptococcus mutans levels in children with ECC are high, so they are assumed to be the main bacteria causing ECC. The bacterial profiles of ECC and CF children are different in species diversity. KEYWORDS: Early Childhood Caries, Bacterial, Children

The prevalence of early childhood caries and treatment needs among children attending Anganwadi centers in Goa state: A cross-sectional survey.

The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) is widespread, as reported in studies conducted in various states across India. Many children residing in the rural areas attend Anganwadi centers for preprimary education, nourishment, and health care. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of ECC among children attending Anganwadi centers in the state of Goa and their treatment needs. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of Goa Dental College and Hospital. The study was carried out in Anganwadi centers spanning the various districts and talukas of Goa state. The decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) index was recorded in 3-5-year-old children along with treatment needs as per the modified WHO pro forma. Statistical software (STATA) for data science by StataCorp LLC (version 17), descriptive statistics, and Chi-square test. A total of 386 children were examined, out of which 47% had ECC. The prevalence of ECC was highest in Canacona and the least in Tiswadi talukas. The severity and occurrence of ECC were found to the proportional to age. With regard to treatment needs, 8.55% needed restoration of at least one surface, 10.88% needed restoration of 2 or more surfaces, 5.44% required a crown, 11.4% needed pulpal treatment, and 6.74% needed extractions. Within the dmft component, the percentage of decayed teeth was 46.89%, followed by filled (0.52%) and missing (0.52%) teeth. The prevalence and severity of ECC in children attending Anganwadi centers in Goa were found to be large and proportional with increasing age.

Association of Maternal Factors on Early Childhood Caries: A Case–Control Study

Abstract Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) can have a substantial impact on the child’s quality of life. Postnatal maternal practices and care of the child are potential risk factors for ECC. Only a small number of cohort studies have looked at potential dietary risk factors at this age. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal caries status and child caries status along with its relationship with the postnatal factors in the development of ECC. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed amongst 300 mother–child pairs. Participants were randomly selected into two groups according to the caries status: Group A – children with ECC and Group B – children without caries. Caries status of the mother and child was recorded. A close-ended questionnaire was given to the mothers to know their knowledge and practices about child oral healthcare. Data obtained were analysed using IBM SPSS version 20.0. The level of significance adopted was 5%. Results: The mean decay rank is lowest for children &lt;36 months of age (141.72) and is highest for children between 49 and 60 months (178.21). The children of working mothers are more affected by ECC when compared to children of non-working mothers (P &lt; 0.05). There is a significant association between mother’s dental caries status and child’s dental caries status (P &lt; 0.01). Conclusion: The present study showed that there is a clear relationship between ECC in children and maternal caries status and feeding patterns, especially night feeding.

Association of early childhood caries and nutritional status: a scoping review.

The most widespread non-communicable disease in the world is dental caries. Early childhood caries (ECC) is the presence of one or more decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in children between birth and 71 months. The disease has been linked to failure to thrive, impaired speech and reduce food consumption due to pain and discomfort. Nutritional status of a child may also be affected by caries. Thus, we conducted a scoping review to review the association between ECC and nutritional status. A total of 492 articles published until December 2022 from three databases were obtained. 20 relevant articles meeting the inclusion criteria were included. From the included articles, dmft index was the most common dental assessment used, while all articles used anthropometric measurements for nutritional assessment except for two articles that used laboratory methods. Based on the results obtained, majority of the articles stated that there was an association between ECC in children with poor nutritional status, while only one study reported an association between ECC and overweight or obese children. Four papers showed no association. A more standardised and consistent study methodology, sample population and protocol in articles selected may help yield more reliable results.

Early childhood caries prevalence among children with cleft lip and palate at padjadjaran university dental hospital

Background: Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) is a congenital abnormality that can be a risk factor for Early Childhood Caries (ECC). ECC is caries that occur in children aged 0-71 months. Poor oral hygiene often found in CL/P patients due to anatomic defects, treatment devices, and surgical scars that can facilitate the colonization of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli as caries-causing bacteria. This study aims to determine the prevalence of ECC in children with CL/P aged 2-6 years at Padjadjaran Univeristy Dental Hospital from 2018 - June of 2021. Method: The study used a descriptive observational method with a cross-sectional approach. The data used is secondary data which is CL/P patients aged 2-6 years medical records at Padjadjaran University Dental Hospital from 2018 until June 2021. The sample obtained using total sampling is 102. Result: The prevalence of ECC in children with CL/P was 46.08%. Unilateral complete palatognatoschizis was the most found CL/P cases (49.02%), including patients with ECC (21.57%). Male is the most common gender in this study (62.75%) also the gender with the most ECC (28.43%). Most children aged 13-24 months (66,67%), while 25-60 months (22,55%) had the highest ECC cases. Most of the CL/P patients came from West Java (95.10%), including patients with ECC (43.14%) Conclusion: Children with CLP have a high risk of caries, regardless in this study, the prevalence was not that high. Although, there are still a hefty amount of children who experience ECC. Oral hygiene must be a concern of parents from an early age to prevent ECC.

Saliva proteomic profile of early childhood caries and caries-free children

Objective Saliva plays an important antimicrobial role and it is related to the pathogenesis of early childhood caries (ECC). The aim of this study was to compare the proteomic profile of unstimulated saliva of children aged 3–5 years who had ECC and caries-free (CF) children. Materials and methods After the saliva collection from 20 children (ECC: n = 10; CF: n = 10), the samples were processed for proteomic analysis on a mass spectrometer. Results 1638 proteins were identified, of which 355 were present in both groups. A total of 579 proteins were exclusively identified in the CF group and included Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein, Protein S100-A5, Protein S100-A8 and Mucin-2. Moreover, 704 proteins were exclusively identified in the ECC group, including Enamelin. The differential expression analysis revealed that 112 proteins were up-regulated in the CF group. Among these proteins, we highlighted Hemoglobin subunit gamma-1 (343-fold increase), gamma-2 (336-fold increase) and alpha (40-fold increase). Conclusions The proteomic profile of the saliva varied substantially between the groups. Hemoglobin subunit gamma-1, gamma-2 and alpha may play a protective role in children with ECC. These proteins should be evaluated in future studies, because they may be possible good candidates to be included in anti-caries dental products.

Association between developmental defects of enamel and early childhood caries in children under 6 years old: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Early childhood caries (ECC) are an oral health problem worldwide in children under 6 years of age. This disease of rapid development has a multifactorial etiology, and one of the possible risk factors is developmental defects of enamel (DDE), such as hypoplasia and opacities. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the association between DDE and ECC in children under 6 years of age. An electronic search was conducted until March 2022 using Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Science-Direct, LILACS, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EBSCO-Host, EMBASE, and Google Scholar and complemented with a manual search, with no restrictions on language or date of publication. Longitudinal studies of children under 6 years of age with primary dentition were included. A total of 1158 studies were found, of which 651 records were reviewed by title and abstract, and 24 articles were selected for full-text evaluation. Finally, nine studies that met the selection criteria were included in the qualitative synthesis. Study quality and certainty were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool. Three cohort studies of good quality were included in the meta-analysis. A risk associated with DDE (RR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.52–2.49) and a risk associated with enamel hypoplasia (RR = 5.45; 95% CI: 1.84–16.14) were found. The results for diffuse opacity (RR = 1.21; 95% CI: 0.18–8.15) and demarcated opacity (RR = 1.26; 95% CI: 0.43–3.65) were not significant. GRADE analysis presented low and very low certainty of evidence. It was concluded that there is an association between DDE and ECC. However, the results should be interpreted with caution because of the limitations of the study.The protocol for this study has been registered in PROSPERO under identification number CRD42021238919.

The Relationship between Eating Behavior and Early Childhood Caries in Children

BACKGROUND: Eating process in children is not only to fulfill hunger but also to fulfill the nutritional needs of children’s growth and development. Eating disorders can cause health problems for children, including dental and oral health. Poor oral and dental health in children can affect self-confidence, chewing ability, and nutritional fulfillment. Nowadays, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the most common hard tissue disease in primary teeth that affects children. AIM: This study aims to determine the relationship between eating behavior and ECC in children. METHODS: This research is an observational study with a cross-sectional design. Sampling was done by purposive sampling with a total sample of 165 children aged 3–5 years old and their mothers. The Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) was used to measure the eight eating types of children. ECC is measured by def-t index. Data analysis was done using Chi-square test. RESULTS: The prevalence of ECC was 47.9%. There was a significant relationship between food responsiveness (p = 0.001; OR = 3.235; 95% CI 1.648–6.341), food fussiness (p = 0.010; OR = 2.380; 95% CI 1.273–4.450), and enjoyment of food (p = 0.005; OR = 0.377; 95% CI 0.198–0.72) with the incidence of ECC. However, Emotional over Eating, Desire to Drink, Satiety Responsiveness, Emotional under Eating, and Slowness in Eating were not associated with the incidence of ECC. CONCLUSION: Children’s eating behavior contributes to the incidence of ECC.

Lysozyme quantity and quality in relation with early childhood caries: A longitudinal study

Context: Several studies have reported the relationship between lysozyme quantity (concentration) and quality (activity) with early childhood caries (ECC), but the results remain controversial. These are controversial, probably due to the cross-sectional design used in previous studies. Aims: To analyze the relation between lysozyme quantity and quality with ECC in two years old children. Methods: An observational analytic with a cohort study for nine months, with a total sample of 68 caries-free children aged 9-24 months old, selected by purposive sampling from Integrated Healthcare Center in Medan, Indonesia. The subject must have at least two primary upper incisors that have erupted. Lysozyme examination was carried out three times, at the beginning of the month, the third and the ninth month. ECC examination was assessed using the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry criteria. Lysozyme concentration was measured using a competitive ELISA method with human lysozyme C (Fine Test). Then lysozyme reading was done at an absorbance of 450 nm using a microplate reader. Lysozyme activity was assessed using the Lysozyme Detection Kit (Sigma-Aldrich and ready by spectrophotometer. Data analysis was processed with an unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and longitudinal analysis using a generalized estimating equation (linear) test with a significant value, p&lt;0.05. Results: This showed that there was not any relationship found between lysozyme concentration and ECC (p&gt;0.05). However, there was a relationship between lysozyme activity and ECC (p=o.oo8). Conclusions: ECC children had higher lysozyme activity when compared to caries-free children.

Biofilm accumulation and sucrose rinse modulate calcium and fluoride bioavailability in the saliva of children with early childhood caries

This study aimed at investigating the combined effect of biofilm accumulation and 20% sucrose rinse on the modulation of calcium (Ca2+), phosphate (Pi), and fluoride (F−) bioavailability in the saliva of children with early childhood caries (ECC). Fifty-six preschoolers of both genders were evaluated according to caries experience and activity: caries-free (CF, n = 28) and with ECC (n = 28) and then, submitted to biofilm intervention (biofilm accumulation). In each situation, saliva samples were collected before and five minutes after a 20% sucrose rinse to determine the concentrations of Ca2+, Pi, and F−. Calcium concentration was significantly lower in the biofilm accumulation situation compared to the situation of biofilm mechanical control (p ≤ 0.01), except for CF children after sucrose rinse. Biofilm accumulation increased salivary calcium concentration in children with ECC after sucrose rinse (p = 0.04), whereas mechanical biofilm control reduced it in both groups (p = 0.000). Phosphate concentration was influenced by mechanical control of biofilm in CF children (p = 0.03). The fluoride bioavailability was reduced by sucrose rinse and biofilm accumulation in CF and ECC children (p ≤ 0.002). In conclusion, the combined effect of biofilm accumulation and sucrose rinse modifies the bioavailability of calcium and fluoride in the saliva of children with early childhood caries.

Multimodal Data Integration Reveals Mode of Delivery and Snack Consumption Outrank Salivary Microbiome in Association With Caries Outcome in Thai Children.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is not only the most common chronic childhood disease but also disproportionately affects underserved populations. Of those, children living in Thailand have been found to have high rates of ECC and severe ECC. Frequently, the cause of ECC is blamed on a handful of cariogenic organisms, such as Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. However, ECC is a multifactorial disease that results from an ecological shift in the oral cavity from a neutral pH (~7.5) to an acidic pH (<5.5) environment influenced by the host individual’s biological, socio-behavioral, and lifestyle factors. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of how risk factors at various levels influence the oral health of children at risk. We applied a statistical machine learning approach for multimodal data integration (parallel and hierarchical) to identify caries-related multiplatform factors in a large cohort of mother-child dyads living in Chiang Mai, Thailand (N=177). Whole saliva (1 mL) was collected from each individual for DNA extraction and 16S rRNA sequencing. A set of maternal and early childhood factors were included in the data analysis. Significantly, vaginal delivery, preterm birth, and frequent sugary snacking were found to increase the risk for ECC. The salivary microbial diversity was significantly different in children with ECC or without ECC. Results of linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis of the microbial community demonstrated that S. mutans, Prevotella histicola, and Leptotrichia hongkongensis were significantly enriched in ECC children. Whereas Fusobacterium periodonticum was less abundant among caries-free children, suggesting its potential to be a candidate biomarker for good oral health. Based on the multimodal data integration and statistical machine learning models, the study revealed that the mode of delivery and snack consumption outrank salivary microbiome in predicting ECC in Thai children. The biological and behavioral factors may play significant roles in the microbial pathobiology of ECC and warrant further investigation.