A controlled study of risk factors for enamel hypoplasia in the permanent dentition.
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.
Ford
D
D
Northside Specialist Centre, Alderley, Queensland, Australia
Seow
W Kim
WK
Kazoullis
S
S
Holcombe
T
T
Newman
B
B
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
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution