CLINICAL ODONTOLOGICALAND MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CARIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILDERN

Abstract: To characterize the clinical odontological and microbiological profile in children from 2 to 4 years.The study sample was made up of n=17 children attending the Faculty of Dentistry-UNC. The clinical dental examination was carried out using the visual touch procedure, in which healthy, decayed, missing and filled teeth in temporary dentition were registered. From these data, the SIC index and the dmft index were calculated according to WHO criteria. Saliva and biofilm were obtained using sterile pipettes and microbrushes. Samples were seeded on Mitis Salivarius Agar and bacteria were identified into genus and species by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technique into Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus and were classified into ≥105 CFU/mL and ≤105 CFU/mL. Generalized Model Regression (GML), Pearson's Chi2 and Pearson's correlation were applied with statistical significance p<0.05. The work protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the FO-UNC Nº392929/2019.The mean age of the children was 3.4 ± 0.8. The relationship between age and bacterial count was not significant. The mean dmft index of the SIC population was 14.17 ± 2.04. There was a significant correlation between dmft and S. sobrinus count in both saliva and biofilm (Pearson's Corr. p<0.05), while it was not significant with S. mutans. The presence of S. sobrinus was significantly more frequent in the SIC population (50%), in contrast to the non-SIC population, where no S. sobrinus positive cases were detected (Pearson's Chi2 p<0.05). The cariogenic potential of the diet showed significant association with the CFU/mL count of S. mutans in saliva (GML p<0.05). These results show that the presence of S. sobrinus in early childhood caries has a significant association with the SIC population. In order to confirm this trend, the study sample should be increased.