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Erschienen in:
01.06.2014 | Original Article
Caries increment in primary teeth from 3 to 6 years of age: a longitudinal study in Swedish children
Erschienen in: European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry | Ausgabe 3/2014
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Aim
To longitudinally follow and analyse caries prevalence and development in primary dentition in Swedish preschool children from 3 to 6 years of age.
Study design
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.
Statistics
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).
Conclusion
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.