IADR Abstract Archives
The Effect of Maternal Pregnancy Smoking on Offspring Molar-Incisor Hypomineralisation
Objectives: Molar-incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) is a developmental, qualitative enamel defect, prevalent worldwide. Its aetiology is largely unknown and is an arising topic of interest. Previous research has found several modifiable maternal characteristics associated with increased risk of MIH; however, evidence for smoking, a putative factor of disease, is limited and conflicting. This study aimed to:
(1) Explore associations between maternal pregnancy smoking and offspring MIH.
(2) Explore for the presence of residual confounding variables using negative control analyses.
Methods: This study used data obtained through questionnaires from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), an ongoing, prospective birth cohort. Logistic regression was performed to explore associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring MIH at age 7. Analyses were performed unadjusted and adjusted for relevant confounders: age, education, parity, alcohol consumption and mutual parent smoking. To detect potential unmeasured confounding variables, findings were compared with a negative control exposure (paternal smoking during pregnancy), and negative control outcome (dental trauma at age 10).
Results: Prevalence of offspring MIH was found to be 5.4% (297/5536), and a high proportion of mothers (21.4%) and fathers (31.6%) smoked during pregnancy. There was a positive association between maternal smoking and MIH (OR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.86). However, after adjusting for confounders, results were attenuated to the null (OR: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.68, 1.38). In comparison, negative controls showed small positive associations in the adjusted models; paternal smoking (OR: 1.16 95%CI: 0.81, 1.64), and dental trauma (OR: 1.20, 95%CI: 0.93, 1.53).
Conclusions: This prospective negative control study found no strong evidence of an effect of maternal smoking on offspring MIH. Future studies with larger numbers, prospectively collected data and advanced epidemiological methods (eg. negative control analyses) are warranted to further investigate the aetiology of MIH.
(1) Explore associations between maternal pregnancy smoking and offspring MIH.
(2) Explore for the presence of residual confounding variables using negative control analyses.
Methods: This study used data obtained through questionnaires from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), an ongoing, prospective birth cohort. Logistic regression was performed to explore associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring MIH at age 7. Analyses were performed unadjusted and adjusted for relevant confounders: age, education, parity, alcohol consumption and mutual parent smoking. To detect potential unmeasured confounding variables, findings were compared with a negative control exposure (paternal smoking during pregnancy), and negative control outcome (dental trauma at age 10).
Results: Prevalence of offspring MIH was found to be 5.4% (297/5536), and a high proportion of mothers (21.4%) and fathers (31.6%) smoked during pregnancy. There was a positive association between maternal smoking and MIH (OR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.86). However, after adjusting for confounders, results were attenuated to the null (OR: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.68, 1.38). In comparison, negative controls showed small positive associations in the adjusted models; paternal smoking (OR: 1.16 95%CI: 0.81, 1.64), and dental trauma (OR: 1.20, 95%CI: 0.93, 1.53).
Conclusions: This prospective negative control study found no strong evidence of an effect of maternal smoking on offspring MIH. Future studies with larger numbers, prospectively collected data and advanced epidemiological methods (eg. negative control analyses) are warranted to further investigate the aetiology of MIH.