title: A controlled study of risk factors for enamel hypoplasia in the permanent dentition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for enamel hypoplasia (EH) and enamel opacity (EO) in the permanent teeth of healthy schoolchildren from a nonfluoridated community in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with EH (N=104) or EO (N=104) were compared with matched controls without enamel defects (N=105). Subjects who previously resided in on optimally fluoridated town provided data on the effects of drinking fluoridated water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main risk factors for EH were low socioeconomic status (P < .04), respiratory infections (P < .001), exposure to cigarette-smoking (P = .001), asthma (P = .007), otitis media (P = .01), urinary tract infection (UTI; P = .03) and chickenpox (P = .001). Combinations of either chickenpox and UTI or chickenpox and exposure to cigarette-smoking were associated with relatively high numbers of EH. While use of adult toothpaste (1000 ppm) at 0 to 3 years old increased risks for EH, there were less EO in children who used child toothpaste (300 ppm fluoride, 86% vs. 95%; P = .02) or who drank optimally fluoridated water compared to those who did not (4% vs. 29%; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with low socioeconomic status, histories of respiratory or chickenpox infections, exposure to cigarette-smoking, urinary tract infections, otitis, and use of adult toothpaste are predisposed to enamel hypoplasia. By contrast, drinking optimally fluoridated water at 0 to 3 years old reduces the risk for enamel opacities.
authors: Northside Specialist Centre, Alderley, Queensland, Australia
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Ford
authors: W Kim
authors: WK
authors: Seow
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kazoullis
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Holcombe
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Newman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005457:Fluoridation; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010031:Otitis / Q000150:complications; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution