Dentistry for babies: caries experience vs. assiduity in clinical care

Abstract

AIM: This study analyzed and compared the experience of dental caries in 300 children aged 0 to 48 months, who were participants and non-participants of a preventive program 'Dentistry for babies', as well as the correlation between assiduity of dental visits and experience of dental caries. METHODS: The subjects were randomly selected and divided into two groups: G1 'Non participant children of the Program' (n=100) and G2 'Participant Children of the Program' (n=200). Each group was subdivided in two subgroups: 0-24 months and 25-48 months. The collected data from G2 were analyzed, relating the variation of the dmft index (dmft refers to primary teeth: d = decayed, m = missing/extracted due to caries, f = filled, t = teeth) (C) and dental caries prevalence (P) with the influence of assiduity factor in each subgroup. To collect data, clinical examinations were performed using tactile and visual criteria by a single calibrated examiner. The data were statistically analyzed using the 'paired t-test', 'Mann-Whitney' and 'Chi-Squared' tests (p<0.05). RESULTS: It was found that prevalence and dmft index were statistically significant (P=0.0001) with the greatest values observed in G1 (p=0.0001). The values were: PG1 (73%), PG2 (22%), CG1 (3.45±3.84), CG2 (0.66±1.57). Assiduity was significant in G2 (p=0.0001). The values observed were: P-Assiduous (2%), P-Non-assiduous (42%), C-Assiduous (0.04±0.31), and C-Non-assiduous (1.29±2.01). CONCLUSIONS: The participation in the program had a positive influence on the oral health of babies. Complete assiduity to the program resulted in the lowest rates and prevalence of dental caries.

pediatric dentistry; dental caries; epidemiology; referral and consultation; dental care

• ¹
  Hallett KB, O'Rourke PK. Pattern and severity of early childhood caries. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2006; 34: 25-35.
• ²
  Fraiz FC. Supervisão de saúde bucal durante a infância. Pesq Bras Odontoped Clin Integr. 2010; 10: 7-8.
• ³
  American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Policy on early childhood caries (ECC): Classifications, consequences, and preventive strategies. Pediatric Dent 2011; 33(Sp Issue): 47-9.
• ⁴
  Kowash MB, Pinfield A, Smith J, Curzon MEJ. Effectiveness on oral health of a long-term health education programme for mothers with young children. Br Dent J. 2000; 188: 201-5.
• ⁵
  Mouradian WE, Huebner CE, Ramos-Gomez F, Slavkin HC. Beyond access: the role of family and community in children's oral health. J Dent Educ. 2007; 71: 619-31.
• ⁶
  Brazil. Public Health Department. National coordination of oral health. SB Brazil 2003 Project. Oral health conditions of the Brazilian population 2002-2003. Mainly Results [text on the internet]. Brasília; 2004 [cited 2011 Jul 28]. Available from: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/projeto_sb2004.pdf
• ⁷
  Bönecker M, Ardenghi TM, Oliveira LB, Sheiham A, Marcenes W. Trends in dental caries in 1-to 4-years-old children in a Brazilian city between 1997 and 2008. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2010; 20: 125-31.
• ⁸
  Walter LRF, Nakama RK. Prevention of dental caries in the first year of life. J Dent Res. 1994; 73: 773.
• ⁹
  American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Guideline on Periodicity of Examination, Preventive Dental Services, Anticipatory Guidance/Counseling, and Oral Treatment for Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Pediatric Dent. 2009; 33: 102-8.
• ¹⁰
  Fraiz FC, Walter LRF. Study of the factors associated with dental caries in children who receive early dental care. Pesqui Odontol Bras. 2001; 15: 201-7.
• ¹¹
  Alves RX, Fernandes GF, Razzolini MTP, Frazão P, Marques RAA, Narvai PC. Evolução do acesso à água fluoretada no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil: dos anos 1950 à primeira década do século XXI. Cad Saúde Pública. 2012; 28(Sp Issue): s69-s80.
• ¹²
  Ramos-Gomez F, Crystal YO, Ng MW, Tinanoff N, Featherstone JD. Caries risk assessment, prevention, and management in pediatric dental care. Gen Dent. 2010; 58: 505-17.
• ¹³
  Maltz M, Jardim JJ, Alves LS. Health promotion and dental caries. Braz Oral Res. 2010; 24(sp. Issue): 18-25.
• ¹⁴
  Hashim R, Williams S, Thomson WM. Severe early childhood caries and behavioural risk indicators among young children in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2011; 12: 205-10.
• ¹⁵
  Lemos LVFM, Barbosa DL, Ramos CJ, Myaki SI. Influência do fator assiduidade na prevalência de cárie dentária em indivíduos atendidos na Bebê Clínica da Prefeitura do Município de Jacareí, SP, Brasil. Pesq Bras Odontoped Clin Integr. 2008; 8: 203-7.
• ¹⁶
  Caufield PW, Cutter GR, Dasanayake AP. Initial acquisition of mutans streptococci by infants: evidence of a discrete window of infectivity. J Dent Res. 1993; 72: 37-45.
• ¹⁷
  Karn TA, O'Sullivan DM, Tinanoff N. Colonization of mutans streptococci in 8-to 15-month-old children. J Public Health Dent. 1998; 58: 248-9.
• ¹⁸
  Mohan A, Morse DE, O'Sullivan DM, Tinanoff N. The relationship between bottle usage/content, age, and number of teeth with mutans streptococci colonization in 6-24-month-old children. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1998; 26: 12-20.
• ¹⁹
  Wan AKL, Seow WK, Purdie DM, Bird PS, Walsh LJ, Tudehope DI. Oral colonization of streptococcus mutans in six-month-old predentate infants. J Dent Res. 2001; 80: 2060-5.
• ²⁰
  Mattos-Granner RO, Pupin-Rontani RM, Gavião MBD, Bocatto HARC. Caries prevalence in 6-36-month-old Brazilian children. Community Dent Health. 1996; 13: 96-8.
• ²¹
  Morita MC, Walter LRF, Guillain M. Prévalence de la carie dentaire chez des enfants Brésiliens de 0 à 36 mois. J Odonto-Stomatol Pediatr. 1993; 3: 19-28.
• ²²
  Weinstein P, Harrison R, Benton T. Motivating mothers to prevent caries: confirming the beneficial effect of counseling. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006; 137: 789-93.
• ²³
  Fracasso MLC, Rios D, Provenzano MGA, Goya SJ. Efficacy of an oral health promotion program for infants in the public sector. J Appl Oral Sci. 2005; 13: 372-6.
• ²⁴
  Pinto LMCP, Walter LRF, Percinoto C, Dezan CC, Lopes MB. Dental caries experience in children attending an infant oral health program. Braz J Oral Sci. 2010; 9: 345-50.
• ²⁵
  Tiano AVP, Moimaz SAS, Saliba O, Saliba NA. Dental caries prevalence in children up to 36 months of age attending daycare centers in municipalities with different water fluoride content. J Appl Oral Sci. 2009; 17: 39-44.
• ²⁶
  Feldens CA, Giugliani ER, Vigo Á, Vítolo MR. Early feeding practices and severe early childhood caries in four-year-old children from southern Brazil: a birth cohort study. Caries Res. 2010; 44: 445-52.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  04 June 2013
• Date of issue
  Dec 2012

History

• Received
  15 Aug 2012
• Accepted
  14 Dec 2012