IADR Abstract Archives
Correlation Between Streptococci Mutans and Early Childhood Caries in Toddlers
Objectives: To determine the ratios of Streptococcus mutans (MS) in dental plaque and to study its correlation with early childhood caries (ECC) in toddlers at age 3.
Methods: This analysis used data from a randomized controlled trial of oral health promotion for new parents and their children. At baseline, 580 families were recruited, and the toddlers were followed up annually until age 3. Plaque samples were collected before the clinical examination for caries assessment using ICDAS. A white spot lesion (WSL) was recorded by ICDAS code 2, indicating a distinct visual change in enamel. The presence of a cavitated lesion (CL) was recorded by ICDAS codes 3 to 6. Rt-PCR was employed to quantify the count of MS in the plaque samples. The MS percentage in each sample was determined as the ratio of MS to the total bacterial count.
Results: A total of 436 toddlers were followed up at age 3 (follow-up rate 75.2%). Their mean age was 36.9 ± 1.0 months. Over 80% of the toddlers had less than 1% MS detected at age 1, while 30.0% and 40.0% had at least 5% MS at ages 2 and 3. For caries, 34.2% and 12.4% of the toddlers had WSL and CL at age 3, respectively. Significant differences in the mean MS% were found between those with or without WSL (WSL: 18.9±20.7; WSL-free: 6.5±13.0, p<0.001) and CL (CL: 28.2±21.2; CL-free: 8.3±14.9, p<0.001). Toddlers with at least 5% MS at age 2 had a significantly higher chance of having ECC at age 3 (p<0.001), while no correlation between MS% at age 1 and ECC at age 3 was found.
Conclusions: The MS level in dental plaque of toddlers was low at age 1 but increased over time. There were significant positive correlations between dental plaque MS of toddlers at ages 2 and 3 and ECC at age 3.
Methods: This analysis used data from a randomized controlled trial of oral health promotion for new parents and their children. At baseline, 580 families were recruited, and the toddlers were followed up annually until age 3. Plaque samples were collected before the clinical examination for caries assessment using ICDAS. A white spot lesion (WSL) was recorded by ICDAS code 2, indicating a distinct visual change in enamel. The presence of a cavitated lesion (CL) was recorded by ICDAS codes 3 to 6. Rt-PCR was employed to quantify the count of MS in the plaque samples. The MS percentage in each sample was determined as the ratio of MS to the total bacterial count.
Results: A total of 436 toddlers were followed up at age 3 (follow-up rate 75.2%). Their mean age was 36.9 ± 1.0 months. Over 80% of the toddlers had less than 1% MS detected at age 1, while 30.0% and 40.0% had at least 5% MS at ages 2 and 3. For caries, 34.2% and 12.4% of the toddlers had WSL and CL at age 3, respectively. Significant differences in the mean MS% were found between those with or without WSL (WSL: 18.9±20.7; WSL-free: 6.5±13.0, p<0.001) and CL (CL: 28.2±21.2; CL-free: 8.3±14.9, p<0.001). Toddlers with at least 5% MS at age 2 had a significantly higher chance of having ECC at age 3 (p<0.001), while no correlation between MS% at age 1 and ECC at age 3 was found.
Conclusions: The MS level in dental plaque of toddlers was low at age 1 but increased over time. There were significant positive correlations between dental plaque MS of toddlers at ages 2 and 3 and ECC at age 3.
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