title: Influence of dental care for infants on caries prevalence: a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The influence of early dental care on the prevalence of dental caries was determined in children ages 35 to 40 months divided into 2 groups of 160 children each, with 1 group participating in a dental care program from the first year of life to the time of the study, while the other group did not receive any dental care.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical conditions considered for the evaluation were: sound teeth, enamel caries without cavitation, enamel caries with cavitation, and dentinal caries. The proportion and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis with the level of significance set at 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference regarding the presence of dental caries, especially in the number of children presenting enamel caries with cavitation (P < .0001), was observed between the 2 groups. The number of children with enamel caries without cavitation and dentinal caries was similar for the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the aspect of dental caries prevention, the authors concluded that children in the age range of 3 to 4 years who received early dental care showed better oral conditions.
authors.affiliation: State University Paulista, School of Dentistry, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiola Lemos
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Melhado
authors.forename: Robson Frederico
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Rosangela Santos
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nery
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male