Middle ear and respiratory infections in early childhood and their association with early childhood caries.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the risk of early childhood caries (ECC) in children who had middle ear infections (MEI) or respiratory tract infections (RTI) during early childhood.


METHODS
Medicaid data from Michigan were analyzed for all continuously enrolled children born in 2001 for whom enrollment, medical, and dental claims were filed during 2001-2004. Proportional hazards survival models were used to assess the risk of ECC in children who had MEl or RTI during the first year of life.


RESULTS
Included in the study were 29,485 children (51% males and 49% females). By first year of life, 47% and 69% of children had a claim for MEI and RTI, respectively. Children with at least one claim for MEI or RTI were at 29% higher risk for developing ECC compared to those with no claims (P < .001). Hispanic children with 8 or more claims showed 91% greater risk for developing ECC than those with less than 8 claims (P = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
The occurrence of middle ear infections or respiratory tract infections during the first year of life is associated with a significantly increased risk for developing early childhood caries during subsequent years. Race and ethnicity are possible predictors for ECC in the studied models.
Alaki
Sumer M
SM
Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. sumeralaki@msn.com
Burt
Brian A
BA
Garetz
Susan L
SL
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data