Risk Factors For Caries Development Research Articles

The NICE guidelines - should they apply to military personnel?

Introduction/aims: To assess if lower third molars, in military patients referred to RAF Brize Norton are extracted in accordance with the NICE guidelines. These military personnel have high levels of dental care available to them and generally have good plaque control and periodontal health, making them an ideal cohort to study the important risk factors for caries development in the lower second molar. Clearly, dental pain in deployed military personnel can impact on military effectiveness.

HÁBITOS ALIMENTARES E DE HIGIENE ORAL INFLUENCIANDO A SAÚDE BUCAL DA GESTANTE

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido em 2003 e teve como objetivo a investigação dos hábitos alimentares e da negligência dahigiene oral como fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de cárie e doença periodontal em pacientes grávidas. Foram avaliadas 34mulheres em período de gestação, entre 2 e 9 meses, usuárias de uma Unidade de Saúde Pública da região metropolitana de Curitiba. Foielaborado e aplicado para a amostra, um instrumento de avaliação com um odontograma para realização de exame simplificado, e queapresentava perguntas sobre hábitos alimentares e de higiene bucal. Os resultados mostraram que 56% das gestantes tinham cárie, 44%possuíam uma higiene deficiente e 56% não utilizavam fio dental. A baixa freqüência de consulta ao dentista foi de 77%, e é demonstradapelo índice de cálculo de 56%. Das mulheres analisadas, 100% utilizavam o açúcar para adoçar os alimentos e 53% apresentavam umaalta freqüência diária de ingestão de açúcar.

A seven-year survival analysis of caries onset in primary second molars and permanent first molars in different caries risk groups determined at age two years

Objective. To investigate in a group of children (n=183) the effect of possible risk factors registered at the age of 2 years on caries development in 7 years of follow-up, and to study associations between risk groups. Material and methods. Consumption of candies, use of a nursing bottle at night, use of fluorides, toothbrushing, pacifier sucking, and prolonged breastfeeding (≥12 months) were recorded at the age of 2 years. The timing of caries onset in different groups was compared by applying a survival analysis method – the survival curves produced separately for selected teeth in different risk groups. Results. The survival curves of caries onset for both primary and permanent molars were consistently lower for children who consumed candies more than once a week, did not brush their teeth daily, were given a nursing bottle at night or a pacifier at age 2 years. The multivariate survival analysis confirmed that consumption of candies and lack of daily toothbrushing were the factors that had the major impact on caries onset in both primary and permanent molars. Prolonged pacifier sucking (≥2 years) was related only with short duration of breastfeeding. Children with prolonged use of a nursing bottle at night also consumed candies more than once a week, did not brush their teeth regularly, and did not use fluoride tablets. Conclusions. Consumption of candies and inadequate oral hygiene at age 2 years are important long-term risk factors for caries development in both primary and permanent molars.

Caries-preventive effect of an oral health program for preschool children in a low socio-economic, multicultural area in Sweden: Results after one year

The aim of this study was to evaluate the caries-preventive effect of an oral health program for preschool children living in a multicultural, low socio-economic area. In total, 804 2-year-old children were invited and recalled every 3rd month to an outreach facility for parent education and toothbrushing instruction. In addition, fluoride tablets (0.25 mg/day) were provided free of charge. A clinical examination and questionnaire were completed at baseline and at age 3 years. The results of the intervention were compared with a non-intervention Reference group of 3-year-old children (n=217) from the same area. In the Intervention group, the 1-year attrition rate was 8.2%, and more than 90% of the children attended at least 4 of their scheduled appointments. The parents' daily assistance with toothbrushing and the use of fluoride toothpaste and tablets improved significantly during the intervention. Compared with the Reference group when the children were 3 years old, the number of children in the Intervention group who consumed frequent in-between meals and sweet drinks at night was significantly lower. Caries prevalence at age 3 was significantly lower in the Intervention group than in the Reference group (3.0 deft versus 4.4 deft; p<0.01). The number of caries-free children after the 1-year intervention was 37% in the Intervention group compared with 15% in the Reference group. The relative risk (RR) was calculated to be 2.5 (95% CI 1.8–3.4) and the number needed to treat (NNT) 4.6. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the oral health program significantly affected the prevalence of caries and various risk factors for caries development.

Prolonged pacifier-sucking and use of a nursing bottle at night: possible risk factors for dental caries in children

At the baseline of this cohort study we determined risk factors for colonization of oral lactobacilli and candida in a group of children (n = 166) whose mean age was 2.5 years. The results showed that pacifiersucking and the use of a nursing bottle at night increase the occurrence of both salivary lactobacilli and candida. In the present study these children were followed for 2 years, and the progression of caries was recorded with particular reference to the etiologic factors measured before. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed prolonged pacifier-sucking (≥24 months) to be a significant risk factor for caries development in children, with a rather high relative risk (RR) of 3.5 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5–8.2; P = 0.003). Prolonged use of a nursing bottle at night (≥24 months) was also a risk factor, but less significant than pacifier-sucking (RR, 2.6; CI, 1.1–6.4; P = 0.03). On the grounds of this study we conclude that prolonged pacifier-sucking (≥2 years) and use of a nursing bottle at night are risk factors for dental caries in children.

Cross‐sectional study of patients fitted with fixed partial dentures with special reference to the caries situation

The caries situation among 30 patients with fixed partial dentures was examined 3 yr after cementation of the constructions. The fit of the crowns on the abutment teeth, the size of the interproximal areas and the relation between the crown margin and the gingival margin were registered. Risk factors for caries development, such as salivary factors, microbiologic factors, oral hygiene and diet were evaluated for each patient. During the 3-yr period 54 caries lesions occurred in 25 patients. Eleven lesions were found on abutment teeth. Two were located on the root surfaces unconnected with the crown margin (greater than 2mm from the gingival margin), three were recurrent lesions, where the crown margin was located above the gingival margin but closer than 2 mm and six were recurrent lesions where the crown margin was located under the gingival margin. No single caries risk factor seemed to be so closely correlated to the number of caries lesions developed that it could be used alone to select of patients at risk. When the sum of the assumed negative factors was used, more caries was found among the patients with three or more factors with negative values in the group as a whole. However, predicting the development of caries in an individual case with a high degree of probability seems to be complicated. Generally speaking there was no indication that caries disease development was caused by the presence of the fixed partial denture per se.