Suppression of caries in mothers and caries risk in offspring

Methods: 189 women in their first pregnancy were studied. Women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy were clinically examined for the prevalance of caries and the salivary level of mutans streptococci (Dentocult SM Strip mutans test). In study group 1% CHX varnish (Cervitec) was applied to the teeth of women with a high salivary level of mutans streptococci every 6 months, until the children were 36 months old unless infants acquired detectable levels of MS. The control group consisted of mothers who due to personal reasons had to resign from the study. The mother – child pairs from both study (n = 97) and control (n = 60) groups were clinically examined and their MS level in stimulated saliva was evaluated.

Results: 78,35% pregnant women from the study and 88,3% women from the control group showed a high salivary level of mutans streptococci. At the end of the study a high MS level was observed in 56,79% of the study and in 96,66% of the control group. The highest level was found in only 3% of the study compared to 63,33% of the control group. 76,29% of 36 months old children from the study group were caries-free compared to 23,40% control children. The mean caries experience of the test children (dmft 0,44) was also significantly lower (p<0,05) than that of the control children (dmft 4,86).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a high maternal MS level is a strong risk indicator for children's caries and that vertical transmission of caries infection can be prevented by reducing the level of mutans streptococci in mothers' saliva.