Nutrient intake and dental health in school children

Diet refers to the customary allowance of food and drink taken by a person from day to day. The diet may affect dental caries by reacting with the enamel surface and by serving as a substrate for cariogenic microorganisms. This study examined the role of specific nutrients in the caries experience of elementary school children. 120 children aged between 6-11, who attended the Pedodontics Department of Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry for routine dental treatment received a dental examination, parent interview, and a 3-day diet diary. The diary was completed adequately for 100 children (83%). The average daily intake of nutrients were computed and total sugar consumption and Ca/P ratio were calculated. Each child's gender, age, fluoride history, socio-economic state of the family, previous dental experience, brushing habit, and nutrient intake were examined as independent variables. No association was apparent between dental caries and the intake of specific nutrients or Ca/P ratio, except with total sugar consumption.     

Air pollution and asthma: molecular mechanisms

Three thousand children aged 18 months were screened for dental caries and ongoing breast-feeding at 46 child welfare centres in different parts of Sweden. Of these, 200 children were selected for a more comprehensive examination, involving investigation of dietary, toothbrushing and sucking habits, use of fluoride, and determination of salivary levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli. The children were divided into four groups: group 1: children with caries not being breast-fed; group 2: children with caries being breast-fed; group 3: caries-free children being breast-fed; group 4: caries-free gender- and age-matched reference children not being breast-fed. The results showed that 63 of the children (2.1%) had caries and 61 (2.0%) were still being breast-fed. Twelve (19.7%) of the 61 children still being breast-fed had caries compared with 51 (1.7%) of the 2939 children not being breast-fed; the difference was statistically significant. Children with caries and still being breast-fed had a mean defs of 5.3, and those with caries not being breast-fed 4.9; the difference was not statistically significant. Children with caries, irrespective of whether they were being breast-fed or not, had significantly higher numbers of cariogenic food intakes per day than caries-free children. Mutans streptococci were detected in 67% of the children and lactobacilli in 13%. Children with detectable mutans streptococci and lactobacilli had significantly more caries than those without. The results indicate that Swedish children with prolonged breast-feeding have a tendency to establish unsuitable dietary habits which constitutes a risk situation for developing caries at an early age.     

Role of the Na+/K+-ATPase in regulating the membrane potential in rat peritoneal mast cells

500 children with ages ranging between 2 and 13 years and their families joined the study. A detailed questionnaire and a 3-day food intake diary were evaluated to find the relationship between dental caries and dietary habits. It is concluded that the prevalence of caries increases by frequent and high sugar consumption. With lower age and lower caries experience followed a more balanced diet. There was an inverse relationship between caries prevalence and the mothers' educational level. The percentage of children who never or irregularly brushed their teeth was highest in the caries active group.     

Dental caries and sugar consumption into the 21st century

New trends towards the effect and role of sugar consumption in the etiology of dental caries into the 21st century are presented, analyzed and discussed. Many factors such as the amount of sugar consumed, the frequency of sugar intake and the kind of sugars ingested have to be taken into consideration. Over the years, the relative importance of these factors has changed. For a very long time, sugar has been "blamed" as a primary etiological factor in the development of dental caries. However, a number of recent reports have attributed a much less important role to carbohydrates. Sugar consumption only does not affect caries prevalence as much as it used to. It is obvious that the role of sugar in the etiology of caries must be reviewed. Additional factors like overall nutrition, the number of meals and snacks per day, education and motivation, fluoride (in tablets or drops, in mouthwashes, toothpastes, baby foods, formulas, beverages, milk, vitamin supplements and/or fluoridated water ingested), socioeconomic group, ethnicity, oral hygiene status, use of preventive methods and sweeteners other than sucrose are presented.     

Association between mother-infant salivary contacts and caries resistance in children: a cohort study

We selected 327 7-month-old infants and divided them into two groups based on the frequency of salivary close contacts between mother and infant. Five to seven years later, all first-born children (N = 55) whose dental development had been followed regularly, were examined for dental caries and prevalence of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli. The children with frequent maternal close contacts (F group, N = 21) had significantly less MS in saliva than the children with rare close contacts (R group, N = 34, P = 0.02). Only 19% of the children in F group compared with 56% in R group had experienced caries in their primary molars and/or canines (P < 0.01). A significantly greater proportion of the children in F group (57%) than in R group (27%, P < 0.05) had a high intake of sugar-containing foods and drinks in a 2-day dietary history. The F and R groups did not differ significantly with respect to other children's caries risk factors, or in age, sex, stage of dental development, dental treatment, or the social aspects studied. There were no significant differences between F and R groups in maternal caries experience, salivary MS or lactobacillus counts, or in maternal background factors (age, breast feeding, or education). Frequent transfer of maternal saliva to the mouth of the baby before tooth eruption was negatively associated with oral infection by MS and to caries in the primary dentition, possibly due to protective immune mechanisms.     

The dietary habits of 11-12 year-old children in two Tayside secondary schools--comparison with the targets set by the Scottish Diet Report

The diets of over 300 children in their first year at two Tayside secondary schools were assessed using a simplified food frequency questionnaire. Results were compared with the recent targets (Scottish Diet Report 1993) set for children for the year 2005. It was estimated that only six (< 2%) of the 331 children achieved all of the first five targets, namely 3-4 portions of vegetables and fruit per day; whole grain or granary bread or cereals twice daily; semi-skimmed milk; fish twice weekly; and meat products less than twice weekly. In addition, less than 5% achieved a Healthy Food Choice score (devised by the authors) commensurate with a healthy diet containing daily fruit and vegetables, semi-skimmed milk, wholemeal or similar bread or cereals, and fish at least once a week.     

Fruit and vegetable consumption, nutritional knowledge and beliefs in mothers and children

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is an important health behaviour. Parental and other psychosocial influences on children's fruit and vegetable consumption are poorly understood. The contribution of a variety of psychosocial and environmental factors to consumption of fruit and vegetables by children aged 9-11 years was explored. Ninety-two mothers and children (48 girls and 44 boys) were recruited via urban primary health-care practices. Socio-economic and educational level, nutritional knowledge and health- and diet-related beliefs and attitudes were assessed in mothers and children by questionnaires and semistructured interviews. Mothers> diets were measured by a food frequency questionnaire, while children's diets were assessed by 3-day diaries (N=80). The pattern of influence of the various measures on fruit and vegetable consumption was compared with that on children's confectionery intake. The children's intakes of macronutrients were typical for the U.K. (37% fat, 50% carbohydrate and 13% protein by energy; 12 g/day fibre), while median fruit, fruit juice and vegetable intake amounted to about 2.5 servings/day. Univariate correlations and subsequent multiple regression analyses revealed quite different influences on the three food types. Independent predictors of children's fruit intake included mothers> nutritional knowledge (beta=0.37), mothers> frequency of fruit consumption (beta=0.30) and mothers> attitudinal conviction that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption by their children could reduce their risk of developing cancer (beta=0.27; multiple r2=0.37,p<0.0001). Children's vegetable consumption was independently explained by the child's liking for commonly eaten vegetables (beta=0.36) and the mother's belief in the importance of disease prevention when choosing her child's food (beta=-0.27 r2=0.20,p<0.001). Children's confectionery consumption was predicted by the mother's liking for confectionery (beta=0.32) and the children's concern for health in choosing what to eat (beta=-0.26 r2=0.16, p<0.005). Children's consumption of fruit and vegetables are related to different psychosocial and environmental factors. Promotion of this behaviour may require attention to nutritional education and child feeding strategies of parents.     

Evidence for an antemortem injury of a burned head dissected from a burned body

This paper describes risk factors for dental caries identified among 491 2-year-olds in the city of Ume?, Sweden. The study was performed as a risk screening for dental caries according to a method developed for use by dental assistants. The sugar consumption was high, 80% of the 2-year-olds had sweets once a week or more and 25% had sweet beverages once a day or more frequently. In addition, 14% of the children had a meal at night and most common were formula, bovine milk or breastmilk. The majority of the parents brushed the child's teeth at least daily using fluoride toothpaste. Among the children 6% had a chronic somatic disorder and 6% had an intolerance towards specific foods, milk being the most common. The high level of sugar consumption indicates that improved dental health education focusing on the importance of limiting sugar consumption is needed among parents with young children.     

Time in day care and social participation of young children.

The relation between time in day care and social behavior of preschool children was investigated at three child-care centers varying in location, populations served, and program characteristics. Child age and sex were held constant statistically in assessing relations between time in care and social participation. Day-care experience was related to increased social participation and, especially, to increased associative interaction with peers and decreased unoccupied and onlooker behaviors, in both a large community day-care center and a small university center. In the latter, time in care was also positively related to amount of constructive play activity shown by children. In another center, there were minimal relations between time in day care and either positive or negative behaviors toward peers. Implications of these differential findings for future research on day care are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dental caries, tooth trauma, malocclusion, fluoride usage, toothbrushing and dietary habits in 4-year-old Swedish children: changes between 1967 and 1992

The dental health of 4-year-old children in the city of Ume?, northern Sweden, has been followed in cross-sectional studies conducted in 1967, 1971, 1976, 1980, 1987 and 1992. Similar methods and criteria were used. Dental caries and background factors (fluoride usage, toothbrushing frequency and diet) were recorded. In 1971, 1987 and 1992 signs of tooth trauma and presence of malocclusion were also recorded, the latter also in 1976. The present paper summarizes the results of these studies. Between 1967 and 1992 the mean dmfs values declined from 7-8 to 1-8. The decline was greatest between 1967 and 1980 and then levelled off. Toothbrushing frequency was similar over the years, but parental help with brushing was more common in the more recent studies. The use of fluoride toothpaste increased. About 30% of the children had experienced tooth trauma. A unilateral crossbite was recorded in 18% and 16% of the children in 1971 and 1992, respectively, and an anterior open bite in about 35% and 41%, respectively; both types of malocclusion were related to a dummy- or finger-sucking habit.     

Oral hygiene as a risk indicator of enamel and dentin caries

Dental researchers have postulated that the risk factors for enamel and dentin caries may not be the same. A review of the literature ascertained that data to support this theory are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk indicators of enamel and dentin caries of the permanent dentition in a study group who had limited access to fluorides and made limited use of dental services. METHODS: The study was conducted in Goa, India. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 1189 seventh grade children, which consisted of a clinical dental examination and a self-administered questionnaire to their parents. The cavitated and non-cavitated criteria were used to score for caries, and the Silness-Loe index for plaque. RESULTS: The mean age of the children was 12.2 years. The percentage of children caries free in the permanent dentition was 22.2%, the mean+/-s for dmfs, enamel and dentin lesions were 4.20+/-5.10, 2.59+/-2.89 and 1.61+/-3.30 respectively, and the mean plaque score was 1.00+/-0.48. Results of regression analyses showed that the risk indicators of prevalence and severity of caries differed depending on lesion type. The only variable that was consistently a risk indicator of presence and severity of both dentin and enamel caries was poor oral hygiene. Mother's highest level of education and presence of fluorosis were also risk indicators of enamel and dentin caries. The presence of decayed primary teeth was a risk indicator of enamel caries; and fluorosis severity, use of fluoride toothpaste at the time of the survey, and toothbrushing frequency were risk indicators of dentin caries. The observed caries-oral hygiene association seen is explored further.     

Dietary specific sugars for serum protein enzymatic glycosylation in man

All glycoprotein sugars can theoretically derive from glucose. However, dietary specific sugars could represent preferential substrates or have regulatory roles in enzymatic glycosylation. This hypothesis was tested in man using stable isotopes. Healthy subjects ingested different amounts (150, 300, or 550 mg) of artificially 13C-enriched sugar (galactose, mannose, or glucose) diluted in 200 mL water containing 50 g 13C-poor sucrose. 13C enrichment of expired CO2 was monitored for 8 hours during indirect calorimetry. Serum glycoproteins were precipitated and delipidated at various intervals. Glycoprotein neutral sugars were obtained by acidic hydrolysis, purified by ion-exchange chromatography, derivatized to alditol acetates, and analyzed by gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The oxidation rate for galactose and mannose was slower than the rate for glucose. Total oxidation over the 8-hour period was less than 10% of the ingested amount of galactose or mannose. Galactose and mannose were readily incorporated into glycoprotein glycans, in the native form or after interconversion, despite ingestion of a large excess of sucrose: glycoprotein sugar 13C enrichment was strongly higher after 13C-galactose or 13C-mannose than after 13C-glucose. Thus, the metabolism of these three sugars appears to be different. Specific dietary sugars could represent a new class of non essential nutrients displaying interesting metabolic roles. This could have practical consequences especially in parenteral nutrition, where glucose is currently the only sugar available for metabolism.     

Identification of caries risk children and prevention of caries in pre-school children

A special model for dental care in pre-school children was used in a small clinic in the county of Blekinge in southern Sweden. The model is based on screening of caries risk performed by a dental assistant before the caries attack. Any single risk factor or risk behavior in pre-school children was considered. The aim was to 1) evaluate the dental assistant's selection of caries risk children up to the age of three years, 2) compare dental health variables in 4 yr olds in the test clinic with those for the whole county in 1994 and 3) compare time spent by the dentist and the dental assistant in the test clinic and in the whole county per child up to the age of four. 102 children participated. One specially trained dental assistant screened all children using background factors combined with clinical examinations at ages 1, 2 and 3. Eighty-two children participated each year from one year. A systematized form for questioning the parents was used. Individual caries prevention was given including fluoride and antimicrobial treatments as well as fissure sealants in primary molars at caries risk. The proportion of children with caries lesions at four years and a caries risk assessment up to the age of two was 1.0 (sensitivity). The proportion of children with no caries lesions at four years and no caries risk assessment at year two was 0.7 (specificity). The most frequent risk factors found at 2 yrs were frequency order: lack of oral hygiene (visible plaque), deep fissures in molars and frequent intakes of sweet drinks. The proportion of children with no caries lesions at 4 yrs of age in the test clinic was 92.9% compared to a county mean of 76.4%. In the group of children where a risk assessment was made each year from one year the proportion of caries free children was 96.3%. The total time spent per child in the test clinic was 22 minutes more than the county mean. However, dentist's time, excluding assistance, was 28 minutes less in the test clinic. The results suggest that the model used for caries prevention in pre-school children is cost-effective, and that dental health can be remarkably improved.     

The influence of melatonin on metabolic changes in female rats induced by continuous irradiation and/or administration of 7,12-dimethylbenz/a/anthracene

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of social deprivation upon the diet, dental health behaviours and dental health status of five-year-old children in Northern Ireland. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Fifty-eight primary schools in North and West Belfast. SUBJECTS: A nine per cent (240) random sample of 2,666 five-year-old children resident and attending school in North and West Belfast. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dental health status measured by dmft index; parental assessments of the child's dental health behaviours: parental dental attendance patterns and attitudes towards dental health; parental assessments of the child's diet and snacking behaviours: parental attitudes towards snack foods; and demographic profile of child's family. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-three children were examined, a 68 per cent response. The majority of the families were either in low income employment or unemployed. Sixty-eight per cent of children had experience of dental caries. Dental decay was unrelated to parental employment status but more children from unemployed families attended when in pain. The diet of the children was related to both employment status and parental attitude and was reflected in their caries experience. Caries experience was dependent upon parental dental attendance, the consumption of carbonated drinks and sugar containing bedtime drinks. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that unemployment and parental attitudes are important as determinants of dental caries in five-year-old children from North and West Belfast. These factors may influence the child's dental health care as well as type of diet.     

Sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of self-reported stomach pain in school children

The study considered the prevalence of experienced stomach pain in a nationwide random sample of 2161 Icelandic 11-12 and 15-16-year-old school children. It found an 18.4% prevalence of "at least weekly" stomach pain and a 53.4% overall prevalence. The prevalence of stomach pain was significantly higher among younger children (P < or = 0.001). Higher prevalence (P < or = 0.001) of stomach pain was seen in girls in the overall sample and the gender difference was significant in both age groups. No overall class or residential differences were detected. However, the findings suggest some age-related links between social status and the experience of stomach pain. The frequency of stomach pain was moderately and significantly associated with medication use. The theoretical and clinical implications of the results are briefly discussed. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of frequent stomach pain found in this study calls for future research documenting further the epidemiology of stomach pain and various bio-psycho-social factors related to the experience and extent of this pain in school children.     

Plaque removal efficacy of a newly developed powered toothbrush in the primary dentition of pre-school children

A cross-over, single-blind clinical study was performed to compare a powered and a manual toothbrush for their ability to remove plaque from the teeth of pre-school children. Seventy-three randomly selected 4- to 6-year-old children from two kindergarten classes in Erfurt, Germany participated in the study. A new powered children's toothbrush (Rowenta) and a currently marketed manual children's toothbrush (Elmex) were used for an assessment period of two weeks each. Then the groups were crossed over to use the alternate toothbrush for another two weeks. Whole mouth, gingival margin and interproximal plaque area levels were determined using the Rustogi et al. plaque index. Statistical analysis of the data showed significantly effective (p < 0.05) plaque removal with both toothbrushes, immediately after toothbrushing and at one and two weeks, compared to the respective baseline scores. The statistical analysis also demonstrated that the powered toothbrush was significantly (p < 0.05) better on percent plaque reduction on all tooth areas compared to the manual toothbrush, except at two weeks with the interproximal assessment.     

Caries prevalence in primary teeth of German and foreign children within the scope of the 1995/96 school entrance examination in Dusseldorf

900 children of 6 years of age were examined and interviewed by dentists of the Board of Health before they started school. 29.77% of these prospective pupils were children of foreign workers, i.e., the amount of foreign pupils within the examined group was approximately twice as high as it actually is in the population of Düsseldorf (15.21%). The caries prevalence dmf-t (ratio of decayed, missing and filled teeth to the total number of teeth) of these foreign pupils shows an evident need for dental treatment, which is higher than among German pupils. This fact correlates with the low percentage of foreign children with no tooth decay at all. Dental health programmes do not seem to reach this group of the population. Improvement might be possible with the help of foreign organisations or groups in Germany who know the respective foreign cultures and habits of personal hygiene and so could enable their transfer into programmes to promote the oral health of foreigners living here.     

The efficacy and safety of dorzolamide as adjunctive therapy to timolol maleate gellan solution in patients with elevated intraocular pressure. Additivity Study Group

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of rehardening of caries lesions in children in Southern China taking part in a preventive programme. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SAMPLE AND METHODS: A prevention programme was established for 168 3-6-year-old children in a kindergarten (KG1), which included regular oral health education sessions and a daily toothbrushing exercise using fluoridated toothpaste (1000 ppm F). A group of 121 children studying in two other kindergartens without a preventive programme formed the controls. Due to lack of resources and dental personnel, restorative and other curative treatments were not provided. RESULTS: Rehardening of dentine caries (arrested caries) was found in children in both test and control groups. At the third annual examination, 45% of the caries lesions on the proximal surfaces of primary anterior teeth in KG1 children found at the baseline and previous annual examinations had become arrested. A multiple linear regression analysis indicated that baseline ds score and its interactions with the prevention programme, gender and the child's oral hygiene all had significant effect on the number of tooth surfaces with arrested caries at the third annual examination. CONCLUSION: Results from this study support the use of simple prevention programmes to stabilize the caries situation in communities where intensive use of trained dental personnel is not feasible.     

Decrease in insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) binding to erythrocytes from patients with cystic fibrosis

Guidelines for a healthy diet often recommend limiting dietary sugars and fats. Some researchers have called these aims mutually incompatible, suggesting that fat and sugar intakes, when expressed as percent dietary energy, are inversely linked. Others have argued that sugar, more specifically sucrose, acts as a vehicle for dietary fat and serves to suppress the overall quality of the diet. This study examined the relationship between age, sucrose and fat intakes, body mass index (BMI), and measures of dietary diversity and variety in a community-based sample of 837 French adults. Consistent with other studies, high consumption of added sucrose (in g/day or g/1000 kcal per day) was associated with higher consumption of energy and fat and lower consumption of vegetables and fruit. However, eating patterns were strongly influenced by age. High-sucrose consumers were significantly younger and had lower BMI values than did low-sucrose consumers, who were both older and had higher BMIs. High-sucrose diets had minimal effect on the diet diversity score and were associated with more varied diets, as evidenced by a higher dietary variety score.     

Status of the teeth and degree of care in handicapped in Flanders

In general, handicapped 12-year old do not show statistical relevant differences with non-handicapped age-matched children in Flanders regarding general caries prevalence, caries distribution and total caries experience. However, important differences were found for the restorative index showing a higher caries treatment need in handicapped children. When the results were analysed according to the type of handicapping condition, it was seen that children with borderline and mild mental handicap and children with speech-, language and/or learning difficulties show the most unfavorable picture. They have a high caries prevalence and caries experience and a low restorative index. Additional analysis of the results can throw some light on the presence of additional caries risk indicators and contributing caries risk factors.