Relationship between severe early childhood caries, mother's oral health and mutans streptococci in a low-income group: changes from 1996 to 2007.
The relationship between dental caries and mutans streptococci (ms) in children and their mothers is a key factor in the prevention of early childhood caries. Changes in early childhood caries over time in Mexican children have not been well documented.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the dental caries indices and presence of ms in 3- to 5-year-old children and their mothers in two surveys, the first one carried out in 1996 and the second one in 2007.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


RESULTS
The first survey included 102 mother-child dyads and the second 103. Dental caries index dmfs was 7.17 (+/- 10.9) and 4.58 (+/- 7.1) in the first and second survey, respectively (p < 0.05). Ms levels were higher in 1996 than in 2007 (p < 0.001). The prevalence of Severe Early Childhood Caries (SECC) was 42.2% and 34.95% in first and second surveys, respectively, (p > 0.05). Children with SECC showed higher counts of ms than children without this condition. A high caries index in mothers was associated with higher caries experience in their children.


CONCLUSIONS
The compassions of the surveys indicated a decline in dental caries indices over an 11-year period. High caries experience in the mother had a negative impact on the oral condition of the child.
Irigoyen Camacho
Ma Esther
ME
Division of Biological Sciences and Health, Department of Health Care, Metropolitan Autonomous University Xochimilco, Calzada de, Hueso 1100, Col Villa Quietud, CP 04960, México, DF México. meirigo@correo.xoc.uam.mx
Sánchez Pérez
Leonor
L
García Pérez
Alvaro
A
Zepeda Zepeda
Marco Antonio
MA
D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009035:Mothers; D011203:Poverty; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification