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- Title
Role of Microbiological Factors in Predicting Early Childhood Caries.
- Authors
Xiaoli Gao; Hsu, Chin-Ying Stephen; Loh, Teresa; Hwarng, Brian; Koh, David
- Abstract
Purpose: Microbiological methods that accurately identify caries-susceptible children may enhance caries control and assist treatment planning. This study's purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of two microbiological indicators (mutans streptococci [MS] and lactobacilli [LB] levels), singly and in combination, for predicting early childhood caries (ECC) and their contributions in multifactorial modeling. Methods: A total of 1,782 randomly selected three- to five-year-olds were recruited and underwent oral examination and microbiological tests using commercially available diagnostic kits. A questionnaire was completed by their parents. After 12 months, the caries increment in 1,576 (~88 percent) children was assessed. Results: Caries risk increased with the MS and LB levels but plateaued above the LB level of 105 CFU/ml saliva. MS, LB, and combined MS+LB models predicted one-year caries increment (Δdmft>0) with a sensitivity/specificity of 79 percent/67 percent, 51 percent/89 percent, and 66 percent/85 percent, respectively. Sensitivity/specificity reached 80 percent/80 percent when baseline caries experience ("past caries") was added to the MS+LB model and up to 85 percent/80 percent and 81 percent/85 percent when psychosociobehavioral factors and oral hygiene status were added to the MS+LB model, without and with "past caries," respectively. Conclusions: The combined "mutans streptococci+lactobacilli+past caries" model is useful for identifying at-risk children. Incorporating MS and LB into a biopsychosociobe-havioral model slightly improved the prediction, even without "past caries".
- Subjects
DENTAL caries in children; STREPTOCOCCUS mutans; LACTOBACILLUS; MICROBIOLOGY; TREATMENT of dental caries
- Publication
Pediatric Dentistry, 2014, Vol 36, Issue 4, p348
- ISSN
0164-1263
- Publication type
Article