title: Oral health of children born small for gestational age.
abstract: We sought to evaluate the oral health status of children born small for gestational age (SGA). Children now aged 4-8 years who were born SGA (birth weight < -2 SDS) were examined using standardised criteria. The parents completed a structured oral health questionnaire. Twenty females and 25 males, mean age 72.1 months, and mean birth weight 2.1 kg, participated in the study. Poor appetite was a concern; 32 (71%) children snacked between meals and 14 (30%) used carbonated beverages more than 3 times daily. Erosion was present in 9 (20%) children. Dental decay occurred in 22 (47%) children with 92% being untreated. Eight children had more than 5 decayed teeth. It is essential that clinicians working with children born SGA include oral health within the general health surveillance and refer these children for a dental assessment within the first 2 years to support parents in establishing safe feeding patterns for their children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public and Child Dental Health, Dental School, and Department of Paediatrics Trinity College, Dublin 2. anne.oconnell@dental.tcd.ie
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Mullane
authors.forename: H M C V
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hoey
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000453:epidemiology