Early childhood caries

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate parent knowledge and belief changes following the MySmileBuddy (MSB) early childhood caries (ECC) intervention. METHODS: Pre- and post-intervention surveys were completed by 669 parents of children with visually-evident ECC from among 977 participants in a 6-12-month pragmatic community-based caries management trial administered by community health workers (CHWs). Six domains of knowledge about caries and motivating and facilitating determinants were assessed via 26 survey items...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the association between dental caries and school readiness in 5-year-old children taking part in the Born in Bradford (BiB) birth cohort, UK. METHODS: The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) assesses the school readiness of young children and is strongly predictive of future academic attainment. Children are recorded as 'emerging' (below expected), 'expected', or 'exceeding' in five key learning areas. The Oral Health Survey of 5-year-olds (OHS5) is undertaken biennially in England, assessing caries experience at a dentine threshold (d3 mft)...

BACKGROUND: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) gel was developed to overcome the clinical limitations of liquids with children. The authors conducted a clinical trial to determine caries lesion arrest in primary teeth at 1-year follow-up when 38% SDF gel and 2.5% sodium fluoride varnish were applied sequentially at the same appointment. Parent satisfaction was assessed. METHODS: The study design was an open-label prospective, clinical trial with single group assignment...

Cariogenic microorganisms are crucial pathogens contributing to the development of early childhood caries. Snacks provide fermentable carbohydrates, altering oral pH levels and potentially affecting microorganism colonization. However, the relationship between snack intake and cariogenic microorganisms like Candida and Streptococcus mutans in young children is still unclear. This study aimed to assess this association in a prospective underserved birth cohort. Data from children aged 12 to 24 months, including oral microbial assays and snack intake information, were analyzed...

In Australia, dental caries are observed in almost half of children starting school. Oral health promotion programs are being implemented in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings to promote oral health. This study examined children's perceptions of one such program, the Bright Smiles Bright Futures (BSBF) program in ECEC settings in New South Wales, Australia. Data were collected using focus group discussions from 15 children aged 3-5 years, transcribed verbatim, and analysed through inductive thematic analysis...

Purpose: To assess the impact of early childhood caries (ECC) and its clinical conse- quences on preschool children's sleep, as reported by caregivers. Methods: A representative cross-sectional study was carried out with preschoolers aged four to six years in Brazil. Caregivers responded to the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale and a specific question from this questionnaire was used to determine sleep-related quality of life: "Has your child had trouble sleeping because of dental problems or dental treatments?" Additionally, a self-administered questionnaire with socioeconomic questions was used...

This pilot feasibility study examined the effects of a new trauma-informed parenting program, Family Life Skills Triple P (FLSTP), in an open uncontrolled trial conducted in a regular service delivery context via video conferencing. FLSTP was trialed as a group-delivered 10-session intervention. Program modules target positive parenting skills (4 sessions) and adult life skills including coping with emotions, taking care of relationships, self-care, dealing with the past, healthy living, and planning for the future...

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies show that dental health is associated with educational and labour market outcomes, but it is unclear whether dental care records in childhood can serve as early markers of financial hardship risk in adulthood. METHODS: Data on sociodemographic variables and dental records of all children born in Finland and who lived their childhood in the city of Espoo were obtained from national registers ( n =1867). Debt defaults at the age of 23 years were used as a measure of adulthood financial hardship...

PURPOSE: The potential of combining teledentistry and engaging parents as underutilised resources to monitor paediatric dental health was emphasised during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains underexplored. This study aims to assess parental acceptance and use of a commercially available intraoral camera (IOC) for effective remote monitoring. METHODS: 47 child-parent dyads, where the parent was the main caregiver and the child was treated under general anaesthesia for early childhood caries, were recruited...

OBJECTIVE: Enamelin is the largest enamel matrix protein encoded by the ENAM gene. The primary purpose of this study was to identify genetic variants in ENAM exon 10 that can alter susceptibility to early childhood caries (ECC). METHODS: This case-control study included 248 children aged 3-6 years, with 124 children diagnosed with ECC in the case group and 124 children without caries in the control group. Questionnaires were used to record demographic data, socioeconomic status, hygienic practices, and feeding practices, and a 24-hour diet diary was kept...

BACKGROUND: Dental caries in young children is a difficult global oral health problem. In the last decade, China has put a great deal of effort into reducing the prevalence of dental caries. This study, which is part of the China Population Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance 2021, aimed to investigate the prevalence of dental caries among children aged 5 in Shanghai, China, and its associated factors. METHODS: A total of 1281 children aged 5 years from 6 districts in Shanghai were selected by a stratified sampling method...

OBJECTIVE: 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. METHODS: 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...

Early childhood caries is a major public health issue in India. The primary reason for poor oral health in children is a lack of awareness about the role of primary teeth and the importance of an early dental visit for infants and toddlers. The primary objectives of an early dental visit are to analyze the child's risk level, provide guidance to parents regarding proper oral hygiene measures, review dietary and eating habits, provide information regarding the infectivity of dental caries, review the risks of traumatic injuries and discuss factors which affect the development of occlusion...

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanisms underlying the virulence changes in early childhood caries (ECC) caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) , with a focus on carbohydrate metabolism and environmental acidification. METHODS: A review of literature was conducted to understand the symbiotic relationship between C. albicans and S. mutans , and their role in the pathogenesis of ECC. The review also examined how their interactions influence carbohydrate metabolism and environmental acidification in the oral cavity...

The oral cavity harbors complex communities comprising bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. The oral microbiota is establish at birth and develops further during childhood, with early life factors such as birth mode, feeding practices, and oral hygiene, reported to influence this development and the susceptibility to caries. We here analyzed the oral bacterial composition in saliva of 260 Swedish children at two, three and five years of age using 16S rRNA gene profiling to examine its relation to environmental factors and caries development at five years of age...

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain whether a link exists between vitamin D insufficiency and early childhood caries or not. METHOD: From the out patient department (OPD) of the Pedodontics Department at Vyas Dental College, a random sample of 40 kids between the ages of 8 months and 5 years old was chosen. Each kid had blood drawn to check their serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels. All of the data was collated and given the necessary statistical analysis. RESULT: The case group's mean serum 25(OH) vitamin D level was 10...

Premature loss of primary teeth due to early childhood caries could be treated with different options. Presented cases discuss the clinical sequence of rehabilitation of maxillary anterior primary teeth. Endodontic treatment was followed by composite resin restoration reinforced with fiberglass post. Two case reports present a treatment option for severely mutilated primary maxillary incisors due to early childhood caries.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the direct and indirect pathways between cavitated carious lesions and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) during the transition from childhood to adolescence. METHODS: A prospective cohort study followed an initial sample of 639 children (one to five years old), in southern Brazil for ten years. In addition to the baseline (T1), two subsequent reassessments were conducted after seven (T2) and ten years (T3). OHRQoL was measured through the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10 and CPQ11-14), according to the age group...

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To determine the chemical composition of the tooth enamel of two-day-old mice from hypercholesterolemic mothers by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Forty mature female mice were randomly assigned (n = 20/group) to either a standard chow vivarium diet (control group) or a cholesterol-enriched chow diet (experimental group). After fertilization, pregnancy and birth, on postnatal day 2, the incisor segments of 6 pups form each group were used for energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy...

BACKGROUND:  Early childhood caries (ECC) is a widespread dental problem that impacts children below the age of six years. Traditional restorative treatments like fillings are often challenging and invasive for young children. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) offers a minimally invasive and cost-effective alternative for managing ECC. However, the effects, acceptance, and understanding of this treatment by parents remain crucial for its successful implementation. AIM: To evaluate the impact and level of acceptance of SDF treatment in ECC...