title: Some factors associated with dental caries in the primary dentition of children with Down syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is well reported in the scientific literature that there is a high level of periodontal disease and lower caries prevalence in Down Syndrome (DS) individuals, when compared with age-matched non DS individuals. This study was conducted to investigate the process of dental caries in DS children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study the following parameters were considered: oral hygiene habits, levels of Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Lactobacillus spp. (LB), Modified Gingival Index (MGI), and Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). A case group with DS children (n=69) and a control group of non DS children (n=69) were formed to perform this study. Dental caries severity was determined using the DMFT index. Samples of non-stimulated saliva were collected to determine the Lactobacillus spp levels. For SM levels, MSB agar plates were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings revealed that the case group attended dental check-ups more frequently, brushed their teeth more times per day, flossed less, and also more frequently had SM levels classified as high count. The MGI was higher and the OHI-S was lower than the control group (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant differences were found between the DMFT indexes of children from the two groups (p=0.345). The logistic regression analysis showed that in the case group, age, MGI, and SM count were positively related to dental caries (p<0.05).
authors: Discipline of Dentistry, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, Sao Paulo, Brazil. mariliafmathiasyahoo.com.br
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Mathias
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Simionato
authors: R O
authors: RO
authors: Guaré
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous