Caries Development from 2 to 5 years of Age

Objectives: The objective was to study associations between dental health and oral health behaviour at 2 years of age and caries development from 2 to 5 years.
Methods: The study population consisted of 211 children followed from 2 to 5 years of age. Dental examinations were conducted at the student dental clinic at the University of Oslo. Parents filled in a questionnaire about family background and oral health behaviour as part of the dental examination at 2 years of age. Non-western background was reported in 24% of the children. Caries experience and the presence of dental plaque at the clinical examinations at 2 and 5 years of age were extracted from the children's dental records. Data were cross-tabulated and tested with Chi square statistics.
Results: At 2 years of age, 7% of the children had visible dental plaque and 7% had caries. Half of the children (56%) had the teeth brushed twice daily, tooth brushing was introduced when the child was 7 months or older in 65% of the children, and 18% of the children were offered sugary snacks daily. At 5 years of age 29% of the children had caries experience (d_1-5mft > 0). Non-western background, tooth brushing less than twice daily and being offered sugary snacks daily at 2 years of age were related to caries development from 2 to 5 years. At 5 years of age, the number of decayed teeth was higher in children diagnosed with visible plaque at 2 years than in children without visible plaque (4.6 teeth vs. 0.8 teeth, p < 0.01), and higher in children having caries at 2 years than in children without caries at 2 years (6.5 teeth vs 0.6 teeth, p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Dental health at 2 years of age could be used as indicator for caries development from 2 to 5 years. Children with caries, visible dental plaque or unfavourable oral health behaviours at age 2 years developed statistically significantly more caries than other children during preschool age, and require individualized caries prevention to reduce further caries increment.