Effect of oral hygiene in infants before dental eruption on Candida spp. colonization and the occurrence of oral candidiasis: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: To assess the influence of oral hygiene in infants before the primary tooth eruption on colonization by Candida spp. and the occurrence of oral candidiasis. Material and Methods: Fifty-six infants were randomly selected in their first 48 hours of life and allocated into 2 groups: Group I (Mothers were instructed to sanitize the oral cavity of the infant with gauze and filtered water once a day) and Group II (Mothers were instructed not to sanitize the oral cavity of the infant before the dental eruption). Data collection was performed one month after the birth of the infant, in their residence, including saliva collection for identification and quantification of Candida spp. Results: Colonization by Candida spp. species was found in 49.1% of the infants evaluated. There was no statistically significant difference between colonization by Candida spp. and intervention groups (p=0.947). 13.2% of the participants presented oral candidiasis during the first month of life, this prevalence was 15.4% in the control group and 11.1% in the intervention group, however, this difference was not significant (p=0.704). Conclusions: The Candida spp. colonization and the oral candidiasis occurrence, in the first month of the life of the infant, were not influenced by oral hygiene. Key words:Infants, oral hygiene, oral health, oral candidiasis.

Longitudinal evaluation of determinants of the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries in early childhood.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate whether the trajectory of family income, parental education and clinical variables are associated with the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries among children. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted with 439 children between one and three years of age, evaluated at baseline and re-evaluated after three years. Sociodemographic and economic variables, untreated dental caries and biofilm were investigated both at baseline and at the 3-year follow-up. The pufa index (pulpal involvement, ulceration, fistula and abscess) was used to diagnose the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries. RESULTS: The prevalence of pufa ≥1 was 18.2% in the follow-up. The following variables were associated with a higher risk of clinical consequences of untreated dental caries: mother's low schooling level at baseline and follow-up (RR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.04-2.18), incidence or baseline presence of biofilm (RR = 4.66; 95% CI: 2.02-10.74), cavitated dental caries at baseline (RR = 3.57; 95% CI:1.86 to 6.83) and incidence of cavitated dental caries (RR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.24-3.35). CONCLUSION: Low maternal schooling level, biofilm, cavitated dental caries at baseline, and incidence of dental caries were the factors determining the consequences of untreated dental caries.