Risk Factors of Dental Caries Development in One-Year Old Infants

Abstract

Introduction: The risk of dental caries can be assessed based on the child's health history clinical oral examination and screening for salivary cariogenic bacteria and it should be the integral part of the child's first dental visit. Aim: Aim of our study was to establish caries risk factors in a group of one-year old infants. Material and method: Altogether 116 one-year olds were examined. Mothers of these children were informed during pregnancy and consequently 6 months after delivery about prevention of early childhood caries. Following data from child's health history were recorded: presence of systemic diseases, occurrence of fevers, antibiotics administration, bad nutritional habits and oral hygiene practices. Developmental anomalies and any other pathologies if present were recorded in oral examinations and saliva samples were taken for Streptococcus mutans (SM) screening (Dentocult Strip Mutans, Orion Diagnostica). Results: Systemic diseases were present in 15 (12.9 %) children, 39 (33.6 %) had fevers in anamnesis and 28 children (24.1%) were treated by antibiotics. Continuous night breast-feeding has been still practiced in 25 infants (21.6%) and 29 children (25%) have had the constant supply of baby-bottle with sugared tea. Oral hygiene has not been so far introduced in 17 children (14.7%). Hard and soft tissues pathologies and developmental anomalies of oral cavity were found in 10 children (8.6 %). Risk salivary SM levels were present in 26 children (22.4%). Conclusion: Lots of dental caries risk factors were recorded in the group of infants examined the most frequent of them being the continuous supply of sugared tea from baby bottle. This risk factor should not be present in children of well informed parents.

Keywords

• dental caries
• streptococcus mutans
• risk factors
• infants 1-year-old