Is the Number of Teeth in Mouth an Indicator of Caries in Childhood? A Birth Cohort Study.

IF 2.6 2区医学 Q1 DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE

Caries Research Pub Date : 2025-07-18 DOI:10.1159/000547511

Júlia Freire Danigno, Marina da Costa Rocha, Mariana Cadermatori, Mariangela Freitas da Silveira, Flávio Fernando Demarco

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant public health issue, affecting nearly half of children worldwide. Severe ECC (S-ECC) is characterized by smooth-surface caries in children under 3 years old. Early dental eruption has been linked to a higher risk of ECC, as teeth are exposed to cariogenic environments longer. This study analyzes the association between the number of teeth at 12 and 24 months and the presence of S-ECC at 4 years of age.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort, which included all children born in Pelotas, Brazil, in 2015. The number of teeth at 12 and 24 months, reported by mothers, was the primary exposure, and S-ECC at 4 years was the outcome. Sugar consumption was analyzed as a potential mediator. Confounders included maternal education, family income, and child sex. Mediation analysis was conducted using PARAMED, and Poisson regression with robust variance estimated prevalence ratios, adjusting for confounders. A significance level of 0.05 was used.

Results: The number of teeth at 12 and 24 months was positively associated with S-ECC at 4 years. However, the sugar consumption trajectory did not mediate these relationships.

Conclusion: This study highlights a significant association between the number of teeth in early life and S-ECC development, independent of sugar consumption.

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口腔中牙齿的数量是儿童龋齿的指标吗？一项出生队列研究。

儿童早期龋齿（ECC）是一个重大的公共卫生问题，影响着全世界近一半的儿童。严重ECC （S-ECC）以3岁以下儿童的光滑表面龋为特征。由于牙齿暴露在龋齿环境中的时间较长，早期萌牙与ECC的风险较高有关。本研究分析了12个月和24个月时牙齿数量与4岁时出现S-ECC之间的关系。方法：数据来自2015年佩洛塔斯出生队列，其中包括2015年在巴西佩洛塔斯出生的所有儿童。母亲报告的12个月和24个月时的牙齿数量是主要暴露，4岁时的S-ECC是结果。糖的消耗被分析为潜在的中介。混杂因素包括母亲教育、家庭收入和儿童性别。使用PARAMED进行中介分析，并使用稳健方差泊松回归估计患病率，调整混杂因素。采用0.05的显著性水平。结果：12月龄和24月龄牙数与4年S-ECC呈正相关。然而，糖消费轨迹并没有调节这些关系。结论：本研究强调了生命早期牙齿数量与S-ECC发展之间的显著关联，而不依赖于糖的摄入。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Caries Research 医学-牙科与口腔外科

CiteScore

6.30

自引率

7.10%

发文量

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： ''Caries Research'' publishes epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies in dental caries, erosion and related dental diseases. Some studies build on the considerable advances already made in caries prevention, e.g. through fluoride application. Some aim to improve understanding of the increasingly important problem of dental erosion and the associated tooth wear process. Others monitor the changing pattern of caries in different populations, explore improved methods of diagnosis or evaluate methods of prevention or treatment. The broad coverage of current research has given the journal an international reputation as an indispensable source for both basic scientists and clinicians engaged in understanding, investigating and preventing dental disease.