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Is asthma a risk factor for dental caries? Finding from a cohort study
A M Meldrum1, W M Thomson, B K Drummond
1Department of Oral Health, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. oral.health@dent.otago.ac.nz
Caries Research
|July 10, 2001
Summary
This study investigated if childhood asthma increases dental caries risk. Researchers found no significant difference in caries increment between children with asthma and those without, suggesting little evidence for a direct asthma-caries link.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Respiratory Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Asthma in children may be linked to increased caries risk due to the condition and its treatments.
- Previous studies suggest a potential association between childhood asthma and dental caries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the longitudinal association between childhood asthma and caries increment.
- To test the hypothesis that childhood asthma leads to increased dental caries.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a long-standing New Zealand cohort study.
- Assessed long-term asthma histories and 3-year net caries increment (ages 15-18).
- Compared caries increment in asthmatic children (medication-determined, wheeze-determined) versus asthma-free children.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in caries increment were observed between asthma groups and asthma-free participants.
- The mean net caries increment between ages 15-18 was 2.06 surfaces.
- Little evidence was found to support a causative relationship between asthma and caries.
Conclusions:
- Childhood asthma, whether medication-determined or wheeze-determined, does not appear to significantly increase caries increment.
- The study provides limited evidence for a direct causal link between asthma and dental caries in children.