title: Dental health and oral mutans streptococci in 2-4-year-old Estonian children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the dental health and presence of mutans streptococci (MS) in 2-4-year-old Estonian children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dental health of 472 2-4-year-old children was examined using a mirror and a penlight in 14 daycare centres representing seven communities around Estonia. The mean (+/-SD) age of the children was 41.4+/-4.1 months (n=222). Plaque samples of 222 children were employed to determine the presence of MS using the Dentocult SM Strip mutans test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caries was diagnosed in 42% of the children, and the average (+/-SD) dmft index was 1.6+/-2.5, ranging from 1.1+/-1.2 in Tartu to 2.4+/-3.1 in Võru. The proportion of caries-free children decreased from 82% in the younger to 63% in the older group (P=0.001). Among the tested subjects, 58% were colonized with MS, and those with caries were colonized more often than children with no visible caries (80% and 51%, respectively; P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of dental caries in Estonian 2-4-year-olds is higher than in the Nordic countries, but similar to other Baltic nations. Colonization by MS was associated with dental caries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. Jana.Olak@kliinikum.ee
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olak
authors.forename: Reet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mändar
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karjalainen
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Söderling
authors.forename: Mare
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saag
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003732:Dental Caries Activity Tests; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification*