Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 61, Issue 2, March–April 2016, Pages 104-105
Dental Abstracts

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Early childhood caries prevention

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2015.03.051Get rights and content

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Background

Dental caries is caused by dental plaque bacteria. In young children, the colonization of cariogenic bacteria can produce early childhood caries (ECC), which is the presence of one or more decayed, missing, or filled tooth (dmft) surfaces in primary teeth in a child age 71 months or younger. Proper tooth brushing mechanically removes dental plaque and can reduce it by 30% to 50%. Often preschoolers are too young to brush their teeth effectively and must undergo brushing by their parents.

Methods

The study was conducted in Hong Kong, which has optimally fluoridated water. A total of 450 child-parent dyads were recruited, with 415 participating after 24 months. The children ranged in age from 8 to 23 months. Three groups were formed randomly: Gp 1 was a control group and parents received a single oral health education talk; Gp 2 participants received an oral health education talk and parental tooth brushing training that was reinforced every 6 months; and Gp 3 participants received

Results

The mean age of the 201 boys and 249 girls at baseline was 16 months. After 24 months, 415 dyads remained. Parents of the children who dropped out tended to have lower education and income levels than the rest of the group. The three groups were similar in terms of children’s age, gender, family income, parents’ educational level, parental tooth brushing behaviors, and children’s tooth brushing behaviors at baseline. At baseline most of the children did not experience regular daily parental or

Discussion

Providing education and hands-on training in parental tooth brushing was no more effective in preventing dental caries in young children than providing just the education alone. Even the semi-annual application of 5% sodium fluoride varnish may be insufficient to prevent ECC.

Clinical Significance

The children in this study would be considered at low risk for ECC. Parents can be educated about the importance of tooth brushing for their young children and achieve the same level of success against

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Jiang EM, Lo ECM, Chu CH, et al: Prevention of early childhood caries (ECC) through parental toothbrushing training and fluoride varnish application: A 24-month randomized controlled trial. J Dent 42:1543-1550, 2014

Reprints available from ECM Lo, Faculty of Dentistry, 3/F, Prince Philip Dental Hosp, 34 Hosp Rd, Hong Kong, China; fax: +852 2858 7874; e-mail: [email protected]

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