title: Caries increment in primary teeth from 3 to 6 years of age: a longitudinal study in Swedish children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To longitudinally follow and analyse caries prevalence and development in primary dentition in Swedish preschool children from 3 to 6 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred 3-year-old children in the Public Dental Service were consecutively included. The children underwent annual clinical examinations at 3, 4, 5 and 6 years of age, performed by four calibrated dentists in clinical settings. Initial (d1-2) and manifest (d3-5) lesions were registered at surface and tooth level. Radiographs were taken when indicated and possible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chi-squared test was used for group comparisons. Friedman's test, Wilcoxon non-parametric test and logistic regression analyses explored caries development over the years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The parents of 271 children agreed to their children participating in the study (total dropout rate at 6 years, 10.3%). At baseline, 27.3% of the children had carious lesions (d1-5 mean 0.98, SD ± 2.44), and only 50.6% of the children were totally caries-free at 6 years (d1-5 mean 1.88, SD ± 2.81). Initial carious lesions made up the greater share at all ages. The greater part of the caries increment occurred between 3 and 4 years of age (p < 0.001). Having initial and/or manifest carious lesions at 3 years of age was a significant explanatory factor for new lesions at 6 years of age (OR 2.29; 95% CI 1.58-3.31).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with an early caries experience had a high risk of further disease progression. Oral health promotion and prevention programmes should target small children and their carers.
authors.affiliation: Public Dental Service, Region Västra Götaland, Box 7163, 402 33, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: A-C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: André Kramer
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Skeie
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Skaare
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Espelid
authors.forename: A-L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ostberg
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000473:pathology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology*