Effect on caries experience of a long-term preventive program for mothers and children starting during pregnancy

Abstract

The aim of this three-phase prospective study was to determine the effects of a primary-primary prevention program on the oral health of children. Eighty-six pregnant women from various social backgrounds participated in the first phase of this study. In the second phase (at 3 years of age) 54 of the mother-child couples and in the third phase (at 4 years of age) 47 of the mother-child couples remained. Participants were recalled every 6 months and received individual prophylactic care. The following clinical parameters were assessed at each examination period for mother and child: DMF-S or dmf-s, proximal plaque index, and the salivary level of Streptococcus mutans (Dentocult SM). The control group consisted of 65 (at 3 years of age) and 45 (at 4 years of age) children from various kindergartens. All children in the second phase of the study group revealed a naturally healthy dentition with an API of 0-25% and a salivary S. mutans score of 0 (0-10(3) cfu/ml). In the third phase, only four of the 47 children of the study group showed caries, with a mean dmf-s of 1.5. No S. mutans could be detected in 20 (42.6%) children. Ten (21.3%) children of the study group showed a S. mutans score of > or = 2 (> 10(5) cfu/ml). In contrast, only 53 of the 65 children of the control group (second phase) and 26 of the 45 control children (third phase) revealed a naturally healthy dentition. The remaining 19 children of the control group revealed a mean dmf-s of 7.0 at 4 years of age. In the control group, no S. mutans could be detected in 25 (38.5%) children at 3 years of age whereas 21 (32.3%) children showed a S. mutans score of > or = 2. In the third phase, a salivary S. mutans score of > or = 2 was found in 27 (60%) children of the control group. The statistical comparison between the study and the control groups revealed significant differences for all results determined (P < 0.001). Additionally, all mothers revealed a significant improvement in oral health and a reduction of salivary S. mutans colonization. From our data we conclude that a pre- and postnatal prevention program (primary-primary vs primary prevention) may significantly improve the oral health of mother and child.

Predicting Dental Caries Preventive Behaviors Among Pregnant Women Based on Self-Efficacy and the Theory of Planned Behavior

“…Moreover, during the pregnancy, the risks of having loose teeth as well as gingival crevicular fluid increase (4). Accordingly, dental hygiene is of great importance to pregnant women and their infants' health due to the fact that dental bacteria caries can be transmitted from mothers to their infants (5). Moreover, periodontal disease in pregnancy can be diCopyright © 2017, Modern Care Journal.…”

Çocuklara Streptokokkus Mutans Geçi̇şi̇ni̇n Değerlendi̇ri̇lmesi̇: Etki̇li̇ Faktörler Ve Enfekti̇vi̇te Penceresi̇

“…28 Ağızda artan süt dişi sayısı ile S. mutans kolonizasyonu da artmaktadır. 26,29 Yapılan çalışmalarda, süt dişlenme döneminde S. mutans kolonizasyonunun engellenmesiyle hem süt dişlenme 28,[30][31][32] , hem de daimi dişlenme dönemin-de , 17,28,29,33 çürük oluşumunun etkin bir şekilde azaltılabileceği bildirilmektedir.…”

Oral Health in the United States: The Post-Fluoride Generation

“…Some organizations recommend that dental health information be presented in prenatal classes along with preventive measures. This is an approach that has been shown to be beneficial to children for the long term (47).…”