Prevalence of erosive lesions in 2-7-years old children

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of dental erosion in German kindergarten children. Methods: A sample of 463 children (2-7-years old) from 21 kindergartens were examined under standardized conditions by a trained and calibrated examiner. Dental erosions of primary and permanent teeth were recorded using a sccoring system and criteria based on O`Sullivan-Index (2000). Results: Of the 463 children, 148 children (32%) had evidence of erosion. 101 of this individuals (n = 148 children) had at least 1-5 teeth exhibiting erosive tooth wear, 38 children had 6-10 teeth showing signs of erosion and only 9 children showed more than 11 teeth with dental erosion. The most affected teeth were the primary maxillar first and second incisors (15.5-25%) followed by the canines (10.5-12%) and molars (1-5%). Erosions of primary mandibular teeth: incisors: 1.5-3%, canines: 5.5-6% and molars: 3.5-5%. Erosion of the primary first and second molars were most seen on occlusal surfaces only involving enamel or enamel-dentin but not the pulp. In primary first and second incisors and canines, erosive lesions were often located incisal or affect multiple surfaces of the teeth. None of the permanent incisors (n = 93 teeth) or first molars (n = 139 teeth) showed signs of erosion. Conclusion: This first clinical examination of dental erosion in German 2-7-years old children revealed that erosive tooth wear is often seen in primary teeth and may lead to increasing clinical problems.