A scoping review of the links between early childhood caries and clean water and sanitation: the Sustainable Development Goal 6.

INTRODUCTION: The United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 calls for universal access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which are crucial elements of health and well-being and fundamental for a life in dignity. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable disease affecting health and quality of life of millions of young children worldwide. This scoping review aims to explore the connection between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation. METHODS: This scoping review, registered on the Open Science Framework and following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, conducted a thorough search in databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, SciELO) and websites (via Google) in November 2023. The search, without date limitations, targeted studies in English and Spanish linking ECC to SDG6. Exclusions were made for studies solely focusing on ECC without a direct connection to clean water and sanitation. Descriptive statistics summarized the retrieved papers. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 303 articles. After removing duplicates, 264 articles remained for title and abstract screening after which 244 were excluded and one report was added through citation searching. The 21 remaining articles underwent full text review. There were no studies on a direct association between access to clean water and sanitation and the prevalence of ECC. There were nine studies that showed indirect associations between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation through the links of: water and sanitation access as a marker for poverty (n = 1), water consumption as a feeding practice (n = 4), and the effectiveness of water fluoridation (n = 4). These were used to develop a conceptual model. CONCLUSIONS: While it is conceivable that a direct link exists between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation, the available body of research only offers evidence of indirect associations. The exploration of potential pathways connecting water access to ECC warrants further investigation in future research.

A scoping review on the associations between early childhood caries and sustainable cities and communities using the sustainable development goal 11 framework.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a multifactorial disease in which environmental factors could play a role. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the published literature that assessed the association between the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which tried to make cities and human settlements safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, and ECC. METHODS: This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. In July 2023, a search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using tailored search terms related to housing, urbanization, waste management practices, and ECC. Studies that solely examined ECC prevalence without reference to SDG11 goals were excluded. Of those that met the inclusion criteria, a summary highlighting the countries and regions where the studies were conducted, the study designs employed, and the findings were done. In addition, the studies were also linked to relevant SDG11 targets. RESULTS: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria with none from the African Region. Six studies assessed the association between housing and ECC, with findings suggesting that children whose parents owned a house had lower ECC prevalence and severity. Other house related parameters explored were size, number of rooms, cost and building materials used. The only study on the relationship between the prevalence of ECC and waste management modalities at the household showed no statistically significant association. Five studies identified a relationship between urbanization and ECC (urbanization, size, and remoteness of the residential) with results suggesting that there was no significant link between ECC and urbanization in high-income countries contrary to observations in low and middle-income countries. No study assessed the relationship between living in slums, natural disasters and ECC. We identified links between ECC and SDG11.1 and SDG 11.3. The analysis of the findings suggests a plausible link between ECC and SDG11C (Supporting least developed countries to build resilient buildings). CONCLUSION: There are few studies identifying links between ECC and SDG11, with the findings suggesting the possible differences in the impact of urbanization on ECC by country income-level and home ownership as a protective factor from ECC. Further research is needed to explore measures of sustainable cities and their links with ECC within the context of the SDG11.

Association between early childhood caries and parental education and the link to the sustainable development goal 4: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The aim of this scoping review was to map the current evidence on the association between the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) and parental education; and to identify possible pathways by which parental education may protect against ECC. METHODS: The two questions that guided this review were: what is the existing evidence on the association between maternal and paternal education and ECC; and what are the pathways by which parental education protects against ECC? The initial search was conducted in January 2023 in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Articles published in English between January 2000 and October 2022 that reported on the association between parental education and ECC were screened, and the extracted data were compiled, summarized, and synthesized. Review papers and non-primary quantitative research papers were excluded from the full-text review. Open coding was applied to develop a conceptual framework. RESULTS: In total, 49 studies were included: 42 cross-sectional, 3 case-control and 4 cohort studies. The majority (91.8%) reported on the associations between ECC and maternal (n = 33), paternal (n = 3), and parental (n = 9) level of education, and 13 (26.7%) reported on the association between parental education and the severity of ECC. Mothers with more than primary school education (n = 3), post-secondary/college/tertiary education (n = 23), and more than 4-12 years of education (n = 12) had children with lower risk for ECC. Two studies reporting on parental education found an association between maternal but not paternal education and ECC. The review suggests that achieving the SDG 4.1 may reduce the risk of ECC. Possible pathways by which maternal education protects from ECC were feeding practices, oral hygiene practices, and the use of dental services. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggests that higher maternal educational level may reduce the risk for the consumption of cariogenic diet, poor oral hygiene practices and poor use of dental services for caries prevention. However, the association between paternal education and ECC was not consistently observed, with significant associations less frequently reported compared to maternal education. Future studies are needed to define the magnitude and modifiers of the impact of maternal education on the risk for ECC.

Primary Dentition Caries Patterns as Predictors of Permanent Dentition Caries: A Prospective Cohort Study.

The aims of this study were to estimate the risk of caries in the permanent teeth at 12 years of age and to describe the diagnostic accuracy of caries patterns in the primary dentition at age 4 years to predict caries at age 12 years. A prospective cohort study followed children from birth to age 12 years in the city of São Leopoldo, Brazil. Sociodemographic variables were collected at birth, and dental caries was measured at 4 and 12 years of age (n = 204). At 4 years, children were classified according to the presence of caries (cavitated and non-cavitated lesions), number of lesions, affected segment (anterior or posterior), and affected surface (occlusal, smooth, or proximal). Prediction of permanent dentition caries occurrence (DMFT ≥1) (primary outcome) involved Poisson regression with robust variance and standard diagnostic accuracy measures. The prevalences of caries at age 4 years (including non-cavitated lesions) and 12 years were 61.8% and 42.2%, respectively. All caries patterns in the primary dentition were associated with caries in the permanent dentition. In multivariable analysis, the strongest associations were carious lesions on the primary posterior teeth (RR 2.2; 95% CI 1.5-3.2) and occlusal surfaces (RR 2.1; 95% CI 1.4-3.0). Among patterns evaluated, the presence of any tooth with caries (cavitated or non-cavitated) had the highest sensitivity (73%), but any tooth with cavitated decay had the highest accuracy (67%). In conclusion, any dental caries experience in early childhood is strongly predictive of dental caries experience in early adolescence. Primary dentition carious lesions on the posterior teeth or occlusal surfaces and the presence of cavitated lesions were stronger predictors.

A scoping review on the association of early childhood caries and maternal gender inequality.

AIM: The objective of this scoping review is to present current evidence regarding the association between early childhood caries (ECC) and maternal-related gender inequality. METHODS: Two independent reviewers performed a comprehensive literature search using three databases: EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science. Literature published in English from 2012 to 2022 was included in the search and was restricted to only primary research by using the following key terms: "dental caries", "tooth decay", "gender", "sex", "preschool", "toddler," and "infant". The included studies were limited to those reporting an association between ECC and maternal aspects related to gender inequality. Titles and abstracts were screened, and irrelevant publications were excluded. The full text of the remaining papers was retrieved and used to perform the review. The critical appraisal of selected studies was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools. RESULTS: Among 1,103 studies from the three databases, 425 articles were identified based on publication years between 2012 and 2022. After full-text screening, five articles were included in the qualitative analysis for this review. No published study was found regarding a direct association between ECC and maternal gender inequality at the level of individuals. Five included studies reported on the association between ECC and potential maternal-gender-related inequality factors, including the mother's education level (n = 4), employment status (n = 1), and age (n = 1). Regarding the quality of the included studies, out of five, two studies met all JBI criteria, while three partially met the criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this scoping review, evidence demonstrating an association between gender inequality and ECC is currently limited.

Pattern of caries lesions and oral health-related quality of life throughout early childhood: A birth cohort study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different patterns of dental caries on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) throughout early childhood. This birth cohort study followed 277 children from southern Brazil for 6 years. Demographic and socioeconomic variables were collected at birth. At age 3 years, children's dental caries experience was quantified by the decayed, missing, or filled teeth (dmft) index. At age 6 years, parents answered the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). Poisson regression models were used to estimate associations between caries experience and later OHRQoL, presented as the ratio of ECOHIS scores between the groups. The prevalence of dental caries at 3 years of age was 37.5%. In children with caries, lesions only in anterior teeth, only in posterior teeth, and in both dental segments at age 3 were associated with age 6 ECOHIS scores that were 2.7, 7.8, and 6.2 times higher, respectively, than in children without dental caries experience. OHRQoL was worse among children with higher dmft scores. Dental caries lesions in posterior teeth by age 3 years was strongly predictive of adverse impacts on later OHRQoL, presumably as an indicator of continued disease experience in the intervening years.

Maxillary Labial Frenum in Preschool Children: Variations, Anomalies and Associated Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of morphological and attachment variations of the maxillary labial frenum (MLF) and associated factors in preschool children. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,313 children aged between zero and five years of age attending public nurseries in the city of Canoas in southern Brazil. Data were collected through a questionnaire addressing demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral characteristics and a clinical examination of the MLF. Assessments of MLF morphology and attachment were based on the classification systems proposed by Sewerin and Mirko et al., respectively. RESULTS: The most prevalent patterns were simple MLF (63.8%) and gingival attachment (51.1%). Morphological abnormalities were found in 21.6% of the preschoolers and 25.4% exhibited abnormal frenal attachment. Abnormalities in MLF morphology were more prevalent among girls (p = 0.003) and a significant reduction was found with the increase in age (p < 0.001). Attachment abnormalities were significantly more prevalent among girls (p < 0.001), the white ethnic group (p = 0.005), and children who used a pacifier (p = 0.007) and also reduced significantly with the increase in age (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Demographic and behavioral characteristics were associated with MLF morphology and attachment. The reduction in the prevalence of the outcomes with the increase in age suggests that surgical interventions in the first years of life may constitute overtreatment.

Early-Life Patterns of Sugar Consumption and Dental Caries in the Permanent Teeth: A Birth Cohort Study.

Early-life family conditions may presage caries development in childhood. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between patterns of sugar consumption in early childhood and permanent dentition caries at age 6 years. A cohort enrolled women accessing prenatal care at public health clinics in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, and dietary data were collected during pregnancy and 6-month, 12-month, and 3-year follow-ups. Calibrated dental examinations occurred at ages 3 and 6 years. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed in series to quantify associations between early-life variables and permanent dentition caries. At age 6 years, 7.9% of children (21/266) had ≥1 caries lesion on permanent teeth (first molars). In unadjusted models, gestational weight gain, sweet food introduction (age 6 months), household sugar purchases (age 3 years), and caries (age 3 years) were positively associated with permanent dentition caries (age 6 years). In multivariable models, each 1-kg increase in gestational weight gain (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.16) and each 1-item increase in sweet food consumption at age 6 months (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.59) remained statistically significantly associated with permanent molar caries. Findings from this cohort study suggest family and child factors that long predate the permanent dentition, including sugar-related behaviors, predict future dental status, and may inform prevention strategies.

Use of crack cocaine increases tooth loss.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the occurrence of tooth loss among crack cocaine users. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 106 crack cocaine users and 106 controls matched for age, gender, and tobacco use. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, drug use, use of dental services, dental caries, periodontal disease, and the outcome (tooth loss). RESULTS: Crack cocaine users had a greater frequency of tooth loss (55.7% vs. 36.8%), severity of dental caries and periodontal disease and less use of dental services than the controls (P< 0.05). After adjustments, tooth loss was 46% more frequent among crack cocaine users (PR= 1.46; 95%, CI: 1.10-1.93) as well as significantly more frequent among non-whites, those older than 24 years of age and those with high dental caries severity. Occurrence of tooth loss was significantly higher among crack cocaine users. These findings can contribute to the planning and implementation of prevention strategies and oral health care for individuals with a chemical dependence. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The use of crack cocaine had a negative impact on the oral health of its users, leading to tooth loss and a greater severity of dental caries. These findings should be considered when planning prevention strategies to improve oral health in individuals addicted to crack cocaine.

Protective stabilization in pediatric dentistry: A qualitative study on the perceptions of mothers, psychologists, and pediatric dentists.

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding the feelings evoked, distress caused, and the best way to conduct protective stabilization for the management of young children is lacking. AIM: Describe the perceptions of mothers, psychologists, and pediatric dentists regarding the use of protective stabilization during the dental care of children up to three years of age attending a University Dental Clinic in southern Brazil. DESIGN: After watching a video of dental care involving the protective stabilization technique, individualized qualitative interviews were held with three groups [mothers (n = 5), psychologists (n = 7), and pediatric dentists (n = 4)] to investigate four categories of interest: importance of the technique, affective attitude, distress caused to the child, and participation of parents. After the transcription of the recorded comments, qualitative content analysis was performed. RESULTS: Protective stabilization generated emotional discomfort but was well accepted by all groups. All expressed the need to create a bond between the dentist and caregiver; and the active participation of the caregiver was considered fundamental. The mothers and psychologists rejected other options, such as passive restraint, general anesthesia, and sedation. CONCLUSION: The three groups admitted having negative feelings, recognized the importance of protective stabilization, and suggested conditions for its use.

Exploring the risk factors for early-life sugar consumption: A birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sugar consumption in early childhood is the primary cause of negative health outcomes, including early childhood caries. AIM: To investigate risk factors associated with early-life sugar consumption. DESIGN: Explanatory variables were collected at baseline of a birth cohort in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil. At six months of age, data were collected on child feeding practices, including the number of foods and beverages containing sugar. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was performed. RESULTS: Virtually all children (98.3%) had consumed sugar by the age of 6 months. Multivariable analysis showed that the number of sweet items was significantly larger in children whose mothers were less than 20 years of age (MR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.05-1.36), those from non-nuclear families (MR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.04-1.20), those whose mothers had less than eight years of schooling (MR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.20-1.50) and those whose mothers smoked (MR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.13-1.35). Moreover, the number of sweet items was significantly lower among children who breastfed in the first hour of life (MR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76-0.95). CONCLUSION: Sugar consumption begins very early, especially in children with no access to breastfeeding in the first hours of life and those from younger, less educated, and smoking mothers.

An ecological study on the association between universal health service coverage index, health expenditures, and early childhood caries.

BACKGROUND: Universal health care (UHC) may assist families whose children are most prone to early childhood caries (ECC) in accessing dental treatment and prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between UHC, health expenditure and the global prevalence of ECC. METHODS: Health expenditure as percentage of gross domestic product, UHC service coverage index, and the percentage of 3-5-year-old children with ECC were compared among countries with various income levels using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Three linear regression models were developed, and each was adjusted for the country income level with the prevalence of ECC in 3-5-year-old children being the dependent variable. In model 1, UHC service coverage index was the independent variable whereas in model 2, the independent variable was the health expenditure as percentage of GDP. Model 3 included both independent variables together. Regression coefficients (B), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), P values, and partial eta squared (ƞ2) as measure of effect size were calculated. RESULTS: Linear regression including both independent factors revealed that health expenditure as percentage of GDP (P < 0.0001) was significantly associated with the percentage of ECC in 3-5-year-old children while UHC service coverage index was not significantly associated with the prevalence of ECC (P = 0.05). Every 1% increase in GDP allocated to health expenditure was associated with a 3.7% lower percentage of children with ECC (B = - 3.71, 95% CI: - 5.51, - 1.91). UHC service coverage index was not associated with the percentage of children with ECC (B = 0.61, 95% CI: - 0.01, 1.23). The impact of health expenditure on the prevalence of ECC was stronger than that of UHC coverage on the prevalence of ECC (ƞ2 = 0.18 vs. 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Higher expenditure on health care may be associated with lower prevalence of ECC and may be a more viable approach to reducing early childhood oral health disparities than UHC alone. The findings suggest that currently, UHC is weakly associated with lower global prevalence of ECC.

The effect of enamel fractures on oral health-related quality of life in adolescents.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Enamel fractures are the most common type of traumatic dental injury (TDI) in children and adolescents. Recognizing the impact of these fractures on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) could contribute to the establishment of treatment protocols. The aim of this study was to assess and quantify the impact of enamel fractures on overall OHRQoL and domain scores in adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 775 adolescents aged 11 to 14 years in the city of Santo Ângelo in southern Brazil. Sociodemographic variables were collected from parents/caregivers using a structured questionnaire. The adolescents answered the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14 ). Physical examinations were performed by an examiner who had undergone training and calibration exercises for the investigation of TDI (Andreasen criteria), dental caries (WHO criteria), and malocclusion (Dental Aesthetic Index). Data analysis involved Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: The prevalence of TDI was 11.9% and enamel fractures accounted for 79.3% of all injuries. In the multivariate analysis, adolescents with enamel fractures had 29% higher CPQ11-14 scores (worse OHRQoL) than those without TDI, even after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical variables (mean ratio = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.09-1.53; P = .003). Enamel fractures exerted a negative impact on the functional limitation, emotional well-being, and social well-being domains. CONCLUSIONS: Enamel fractures exert a negative impact on the OHRQoL of adolescents, suggesting that subjective measures should be incorporated in the evaluation of patients with this traumatic injury.

Incidence and prognosis of crown discoloration in traumatized primary teeth: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Knowledge of factors influencing the occurrence of crown discoloration following traumatic dental injuries in primary teeth and understanding its possible consequences can help dentists to provide appropriate care. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the incidence of crown discoloration following trauma in primary teeth. This study also estimated the risk of pulp necrosis with subsequent infection of the root canal system and pulp canal obliteration in discolored teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Records of children treated at the specialized trauma center of the Federal University of Pelotas during a period of 10 years were analyzed. Patient details including the type of injury, presence of crown discoloration, pulp necrosis, and pulp canal obliteration were collected. Photographs of teeth with crown discoloration were assessed to evaluate the color presented (yellow or dark). Chi-square tests and Poisson regression were used for data analyses (P < .05). RESULTS: A total of 355 children with 628 traumatized teeth were included in the study. The incidence of crown discoloration was 27.9%, and 20.5% of the teeth were affected. Discoloration was higher in children whose age at the time of trauma was 2-4 years (P = .020), and it was associated with the type of injury (P = .019). Discolored teeth had a twofold risk of pulp necrosis and subsequent infection of the root canal system (RR 1.98 95% CI 1.42-276; P < .001) and a higher risk of pulp canal obliteration (RR 8.47; 95% CI 4.95-14.51; P < .001) than did teeth without discoloration. Teeth with dark and yellow discoloration were significantly associated with pulp necrosis and pulp canal obliteration, respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the importance of monitoring traumatized primary teeth with crown discoloration, particularly those appearing darker, owing to their higher risk of pulp necrosis and subsequent infection of the root canal system.

Early childhood caries epidemiology, aetiology, risk assessment, societal burden, management, education, and policy: Global perspective.

BACKGROUND: This paper is a summary of the proceedings of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry Bangkok Conference on early childhood caries (ECC) held in 3-4 November 2018. AIM: The paper aims to convey a global perspective of ECC definitions, aetiology, risk factors, societal costs, management, educational curriculum, and policy. DESIGN: This global perspective on ECC is the compilation of the state of science, current concepts, and literature regarding ECC from worldwide experts on ECC. RESULTS: Early childhood caries is related to frequent sugar consumption in an environment of enamel adherent, acid-producing bacteria in a complex biofilm, as well as developmental defects of enamel. The seriousness, societal costs, and impact on quality of life of dental caries in pre-school children are enormous. Worldwide data show that ECC continues to be highly prevalent, yet infrequently treated. Approaches to reduce the prevalence include interventions that start in the first year of a child's life, evidence-based and risk-based management, and reimbursement systems that foster preventive care. CONCLUSIONS: This global perspective on ECC epidemiology, aetiology, risk assessment, global impact, and management is aimed to foster improved worldwide understanding and management of ECC.

What are the important outcomes in traumatic dental injuries? An international approach to the development of a core outcome set.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are numerous treatment options following traumatic dental injury (TDI). Systematic reviews of different treatments are challenging owing to the diversity of outcomes reported between clinical studies. This issue could be addressed through the development and implementation of a agreed and standardized collection of outcomes known as a core outcome set (COS). The aim of this study was to develop a COS for TDI in children and adults. The secondary aim was to establish what, how, when and by whom these outcomes should be measured. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The project was registered with Core Outcomes Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET). A web-based survey was developed to capture the opinions of dentists globally as to which outcomes should be recorded. A list of outcomes was entered into a Delphi Survey and scored by an Expert Working Group (EWG). The scoring was repeated, followed by conference calls to discuss, refine and finalize the COS. The EWG split into small groups of subject-specific experts to determine how, when and by whom each outcome would be measured. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 1476 dentists. The EWG identified 13 core outcomes to be recorded for all TDI's. An additional 10 injury-specific outcomes were identified. A table has been produced for each outcome detailing what, when, and how each outcome should be recorded. CONCLUSIONS: A robust consensus process was used to develop an international COS for TDI in children and adults. This includes both generic and injury-specific outcomes across all identified domains.

Family Health Strategy associated with increased dental visitation among preschool children in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Early-life dental service utilization could improve child dental health. AIM: Identify contextual, socioeconomic, and child characteristics associated with dental visitation by age 3 years. DESIGN: Within a Brazilian birth cohort (N = 435), multivariable regression models were fitted to identify independent predictors of having made a dental visit at age 3 years. Contextual variables considered included health center type (Traditional vs. Family Health Strategy, which perform home visits) and composition of oral health teams at the heath center where mothers accessed prenatal care. RESULTS: Dental visitation was positively associated with Family Health Strategy health centers (36% vs. 23%) and with higher maternal education and family social class. Visitation was lowest among families served by a health center without a dentist, but number of dentists and oral health team composition were not associated with visitation among facilities with ≥1 dentists. Dental visitation was not statistically significantly associated with caries experience but was higher if parents reported worse oral health-related quality of life. The vast majority of dental decay remained untreated. CONCLUSIONS: Dental visits were underutilized, and socioeconomic inequalities were evident. Dental visitation was more common when mothers received prenatal care at Family Health Strategy health centers, suggesting a possible oral health benefit.

Relationship between overweight/obesity in the first year of age and traumatic dental injuries in early childhood: Findings from a birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The impact of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in the primary dentition on oral health-related quality of life indicates the need for the planning of prevention strategies. The aim of this study was to assess whether anthropometric characteristics in early life are associated with TDI by preschool age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A birth cohort was recruited from the public healthcare system in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Socio-demographic variables, type of birth, head circumference, weight, and length were collected at birth (WHO standards). Head circumference, body mass index for age, and height for age were collected at 12 months. TDI (Andreasen criteria) at three years of age (n = 458) were recorded by two examiners who had undergone training and calibration exercises. Multivariable analysis was carried out with Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: A total of 31.0% of the children (142/458) exhibited TDI at three years of age. In the final model, the risk of TDI was 47% higher among children with a smaller head circumference upon birth and nearly 60% higher among those who were overweight/obese at 12 months of age (RR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.15-2.17). The risk of TDI was also significantly higher among boys (RR 1.50; 95% CI: 1.13-2.00), but the outcome was not significantly associated with socioeconomic variables or other anthropometric variables. CONCLUSION: Overweight/obesity in early life is a risk factor for TDI in preschool children.

Clarifying the Impact of Untreated and Treated Dental Caries on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Adolescents.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dental caries experience and the components of the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among adolescents in southern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 adolescents aged 11-14 years enrolled at public schools in the municipality of Osório (southern Brazil). A calibrated examiner performed the clinical examination for caries (World Health Organization: DMFT index), malocclusion (Dental Aesthetic Index) and traumatic dental injuries [Andreasen et al., 2007]. The participants answered the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) - Impact Short Form, and their parents/guardians answered a structured questionnaire addressing demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Data analysis involved Poisson regression with robust variance, with the calculation of rate ratios adjusted for potential confounding variables. High severity of dental caries experience exerted a significant impact on OHRQoL, even after controlling for socioeconomic and clinical factors (rate ratio 1.30; 95% confidence interval, CI 1.12-1.51). All OHRQoL domains were affected by untreated dental caries. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that the CPQ11-14 scores were 33% higher among adolescents with untreated caries (rate ratio 1.33; 95% CI 1.17-1.50) and 24% higher among those with missing teeth (rate ratio 1.24; 95% CI 1.06-1.47). No difference in OHRQoL was found between adolescents with filled teeth and those without dental caries. In conclusion, dental caries experience, untreated dental caries and missing teeth exerted a negative impact on OHRQoL among the adolescents.

Risk factors for traumatic dental injuries in the primary dentition: concepts, interpretation, and evidence.

The purpose of this comprehensive review is to explore the main concepts related to quantification and interpretation of risk factors and investigate characteristics associated with traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in the primary dentition. Initially, the main concepts related to causality and risk factors were summarized, including how to measure, express, and compare risk as well as interpret statistical significance. Based on a structured search through PubMed, original research articles regarding TDI and associated factors in the primary dentition were then reviewed by two examiners. Studies with a sample size of at least 300 children aged between 0 and 6 years were summarized according to journal, country, study design, and type of statistical analysis. Variables associated with TDI in primary teeth were identified from studies with multivariable analysis. Measures of effect size and P values were presented. Thirty-two studies were retrieved: most were cross-sectional in design and only 17 (53.1%) performed multivariable analysis. Most investigations did not find an association between gender and socioeconomic variables with TDI. Increased overjet was the only factor consistently identified as an associated factor. Behavioral characteristics have been recently investigated and suggested as potential risk factors for TDI in the primary dentition. In conclusion, increased overjet is undoubtedly associated with TDI in the primary dentition. As behavioral factors may be targeted by preventive strategies, their role on TDI occurrence should be clarified in future cohort studies. Clinicians should understand the terms and measures described in studies on risk factors to properly apply knowledge and benefit patients.