Factors associated with dental caries experience in 1-year-old children.
OBJECTIVE
Dental caries in early childhood is an important public health problem. Previous studies have examined risk factors, but they have focused on children during the later stages of the disease process. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with caries in children aged 6 to 24 months as part of a cross-sectional analysis.


METHODS
Two hundred twelve mothers with children 6 to 24 months of age were recruited from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinic sites in southeastern Iowa for participation in a longitudinal study of dental caries. Baseline assessments included detailed questions regarding the children's beverage consumption, oral hygiene, and family socioeconomic status. Dental caries examinations using the d(1)d(2-3)f criteria and semiquantitative assessments of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) levels of mother and child were also conducted. Counts of the number of teeth with visible plaque were recorded for maxillary and mandibular molars and incisors.


RESULTS
Of the 212 child/mother pairs, 187 children had teeth. Among these children, the mean age was 14 months, and 23 of the children exhibited either d(1), d(2-3), or filled lesions. Presence of caries was significantly associated with older age, presence of MS in children, family income <$25,000 per year, and proportion of teeth with visible plaque.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that not only microbial measures, including MS and plaque levels, are closely associated with caries in very young children, but that other age-related factors may also be associated with caries. Continued study is necessary to more fully assess the risk factors for caries prevalence and incidence in preschool children.
Warren
John J
JJ
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1010, USA. john-warren@uiowa.edu
Weber-Gasparoni
Karin
K
Marshall
Teresa A
TA
Drake
David R
DR
Dehkordi-Vakil
Farideh
F
Kolker
Justine L
JL
Dawson
Deborah V
DV
D000367:Age Factors; D001628:Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D012923:Social Class; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification
D019422:Dietary Sucrose