Socioeconomic Status And Dental Caries In Children With Molar-Incisor Hypomineralisation

Methods: The study sample consisted of 836 7-13 years old Finnish school children. For the diagnosis of MIH each permanent first molar was screened for demarcated opacity (diameter ≥2mm) or broken down hypomineralised enamel/atypical restoration replacing the affected dental hard tissues. Dental caries was assessed using the DMFT index and WHO (1997) criteria. Parents completed a questionnaire about family income, mother’s education and years of schooling. Associations between MIH, DMFT and SES factors were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. The sample was then divided into two depending on MIH status (n=154 for MIH+ and n=682 for MIH-). The associations between SES factors and dental caries (DMFT=0 or DMFT >0) adjusted for age within each group were further analyzed using binary logistic regression. The statistical significance level was 0.05.

Results: MIH was found in 154 children (18.4%).  210 children (25.1%) had dental caries (DMFT > 0). The mean DMFT score was 0.52 (2.1 among caries affected children). DMFT score was higher in children with MIH than in children without MIH (P<0.001). Greater family income was associated with MIH (P=0.007). No other association between MIH and factors defining SES was found. Within the MIH negative group all SES factors were negatively associated with dental caries (income P=0.005, education P<0.001, school years P<0.001). After adjusting for age, fewer maternal school years were associated with caries (P=0.007). No such associations were found in the group of children with MIH.

Conclusions: Greater family income is associated with MIH. Socioeconomic status is not a risk factor of dental caries for children with MIH.