title: Caries prevalence in Danish pre-school children delivered vaginally and by caesarean section.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The mode of delivery may significantly influence the diversity and composition of the oral microflora and facilitate early acquisition of mutans streptococci. The aim was to compare caries prevalence and experience in 3-year-old children delivered vaginally and by caesarean section (C-section).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study had an observational cohort protocol based on extracted information from governmental databases and nationwide registers concerning birth, social and educational levels and dental status. Children born at the Copenhagen University Hospital in 2005 were eligible and the final study group with complete information consisted of 594 children, 443 delivered vaginally and 151 by C-section.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total caries prevalence was 8% and no significant difference was displayed between the groups. When only the children with caries (dmfs > 0) were compared, those delivered by C-section had a higher mean value in comparison with those delivered vaginally (dmfs 6.8 vs 3.2), but the difference was not statistically significant. There was a significant relationship between caries prevalence and low family income in the total study group (OR = 5.8, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of this observational cohort study, caries prevalence in 3-year-old children was not related to the mode of delivery. However, the tendency of more severe caries in the C-section group justifies further studies, preferably with a prospective design.
authors: Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Odontology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. mette.barfod@gmail.com
authors: Mette Nelun
authors: MN
authors: Barfod
authors: Lisa Bøge
authors: LB
authors: Christensen
authors: Svante
authors: S
authors: Twetman
authors: Michala Oron
authors: MO
authors: Lexner
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003732:Dental Caries Activity Tests; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence