Limited evidence about the role of diet quality, an important component of nutritional status, in the etiology of dental caries has been reported. The aim of this study was to examine the association between diet and dental caries in children by using the dietary intake data, anthropometrical measurements and dental examination. A total of 395 children (52.7% boys and 42.8% girls) who were 36-71 months of age (mean age 58.7±8.6 months) and attended one of the eleven preschools within a district of Ankara participated in this descriptive study. Dental examinations were performed in the schools under day-light by a pediatric dentist; decayed, missing and filled teeth as well as surfaces were recorded. Data related to socio-demographic characteristics and 24-hour dietary recall of children were gathered via a structured, pretested questionnaire which was conducted by the research dietitian. The Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) and Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents (KIDMED) were used to assess dietary intake. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, upper arm circumference and head circumference were taken by the same researcher. The percentage of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) was increased by age (p<0.001) whereas no significant difference was observed by sex, socioeconomic status, tooth brushing frequency and body mass index (p>0.05). Although children who had bad KIDMED scores had slightly higher mean values of decayed missing and filled teeth (dmft) (5.39± 4.6) and decayed missing and filled surface (dmfs) (8.45± 8.69), compared to the scores of children with good or medium KIDMED scores, the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). On the contrary to the KIDMED findings, the mean value of tooth decay was significantly higher among children with bad HEI-2010 score (4.2±4.3) compared to children with medium HEI-2010 score (2.47±2.9) (p=0.043). It is concluded that a healthy eating pattern and high diet quality is essential for the prevention of early childhood caries in preschool children. Further studies are required to develop dietary strategies for the prevention of dental caries.

The causes of the peculiar time trend in the incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) in most parts of the world and of its geographic distribution are still unknown. We used the data base of 1974–2003 incident cases of hematological malignancies to explore the time trend of NHL incidence in the region of Sardinia, Italy, and we used Bayesian methods to plot the probability of NHL incidence by residential unit on the regional map. In 1974–2003, 4109 NHL cases were diagnosed among resident adults in Sardinia, with an incidence rate of 13.38 x 10−5 (95% CI 12.97–13.80). NHL incidence showed an upward trend along the study period with an average annual percent change (APC) of 4.94 (95% CI -5.39–16.4), which did not vary by gender or by age-group. Cancer registry data, covering part of the region starting from 1993, suggest that the increasing trend did not persist in the subsequent years. Areas with the highest probability of an excess incidence tended to cluster in the north-eastern part of the region and in two major urban centers, with the low incidence areas located in the south, confirming previous observations. Prevalence of viral infections, environmental and occupational exposures, or socio-economic deprivation would not explain the peculiar geographic distribution we observed. These findings provide convincing arguments for extending the coverage of routine cancer registration over the whole Sardinian population, while prompting further research on the genetic and environmental determinants of NHL in the risk areas.

ObjectivesTo explore the time trend and geographical distribution of childhood leukaemia incidence over the territory of the Italian region of Sardinia.SettingAll hospitals departments, diagnostic centres and social security agencies in Sardinia were regularly screened in 1974–2003 to identify, register and review the diagnoses of incident cases of haematological malignancies (HM).ParticipantsThe whole child population aged 0–14 resident in Sardinia.Primary and secondary outcome measuresIncidence and time trend of childhood HM and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) over the study period, and use of Bayesian methods to plot the probability of areas with excess incidence on the regional map.ResultsOverall, 675 HM cases, including 378 ALL cases, occurred among children aged 0–14 years resident in Sardinia in 1974–2003, with an incidence rate of 6.97×10-5 (95% CI 6.47 to 7.51) and 3.85×10-5 (95% CI 3.48 to 4.26), respectively. Incidence of HM and ALL showed an upward trend along the study period especially among females. Three communes out of the 356 existing in 1974, namely Ittiri, Villa San Pietro and Carbonia, stand out as areas with excess incidence of HM and ALL in particular and another, Carloforte, for ALL only.ConclusionsOur results might serve as convincing arguments for extending the coverage of routine cancer registration over the whole Sardinian population, while prompting further research on the genetic and environmental determinants in the areas at risk.

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Aim. To evaluate the oral health status, oral health related habits and halitosis of children with and without type 1 diabetes. Materials and methods. In this study the oral health status of children with and without type 1 diabetes were evaluated by using different indices (dmft/DMFT, International Caries Detection and Assessment System(ICDAS) II, pufa, gingival and periodontal indices). Halitosis was determined by organoleptic assessment and sulfur monitoring. Results. One hundred children with the age range between 6–13 years, 50 type 1 diabetics (24 boys,26 girls) with mean age (±sd) of 10.3 ± 2.1 years and 50 healthy (30 boys, 20 girls) with mean age (±sd) of 9.9 ± 1.5 years, participated in the study. The median values of dmft and dmfs was lower in children with type 1 diabetes, while for DMFT and DMFS indices were similar with the healthy group. Cavitated caries lesions were observed in 60.0% of children with diabetes and in 58.0% of healthy children. According to the ICDAS II index, 42.0% of children with diabetes and 56.0% of healthy children had severe decay. The mean plaque index was statistically significantly less in diabetic children (p = 0.04). In 12.0% of children with type 1 diabetes and in 18.0% of healthy children, volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) were determined to be ≥150 ppb and the most diagnosed score was 1 in both groups. In diabetic children with the cut off value of 7.5% HbA1c, there was no statistically significant difference in oral health indices results and VSC scores. Conclusion. Findings of the present study are insufficient to support a significant effect of diabetes on increasing the risk of oral and periodontal diseases. Nonetheless, it is important to emphasize the importance of oral and dental health, regular oral care and dental visits both to the patients with type 1 diabetes and their parents.