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Published on: March 29, 2018
Prevalence of enamel defects related to pre-, peri- and postnatal factors in a Brazilian population
A C Massoni1, A M Chaves, A Rosenblatt
1Faculty of Dentistry of Pernambuco, Camaragibe, Brazil. andrezatargino@gmail.com
Insights
Nearly half of infants in a low-income population exhibited enamel defects, with factors like low maternal education and poor infant nutrition increasing risk. These findings highlight social influences on early childhood oral health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Enamel defects in infants can indicate underlying developmental disturbances.
- Socioeconomic status is a known determinant of health outcomes, including oral health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of enamel defects in infants from a socioeconomically disadvantaged population.
- To investigate the association between enamel defects and pre-, peri-, and postnatal developmental disturbances.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 117 infants (16-18 months) was assessed.
- Data collection included hospital records (gestational age, birth data) and home visits (dental examination, nutrition, anthropometry).
- Enamel defects were classified using the modified Developmental Defects of Enamel Index; nutritional status was evaluated using National Center for Health Statistics standards.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of enamel defects was 49.6%, significantly higher in male infants.
- Diffuse opacity was the most common defect (9.5%), affecting the buccal surface most frequently (83.3%).
- Logistic regression identified maternal educational level, gestational age, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and lack of breastfeeding as significant risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Enamel defects in this population are linked to specific developmental and social factors.
- The findings underscore the significant impact of social determinants on infant oral health and tooth development.
Objectives:
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the prevalence of enamel defects in infants from a socially and economically poor population and the possible association of these defects with disturbances occurring in the pre-, peri- and postnatal periods of human development.
Participants:
117 infants aged between 16 and 18 months old were included in four groups based on gestational age and whether part or full term pregnancy.
Method:
The data were collected in two stages: hospital-based, where gestational and birth records were examined, and home-based, where dental examinations and nutrition were evaluated. The teeth were cleaned and dried with gauze and examined in the open air, avoding direct sunlight in the knee-to-knee position. The enamel defects were coded according to the modified Developmental Defects of Enamel Index. Besides this, body weight and height were considered as anthropometric measures for the evaluation of nutritional status by the National Center for Health Statistics standards.
Main Outcome Measures:
The data were analyzed using the chi-square and Fisher Exact tests. Besides these tests, logistic regression models were used.
Results:
The prevalence of enamel defects was 49.6%, higher in the group of male infants (p<0.001). The most frequent type of defect and the most affected surface were, respectively, diffuse opacity (9.5%) and the buccal surface (83.3%), located in the gingival half (6.7%). The logistic regression model showed that educational level, gestational age and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), besides a lack of breastfeeding, increased the probability of enamel defects up to level of 5%.
Conclusions:
The association between enamel defects and the etiologic factors shown in this study suggest the existence of social influences regarding oral health and teeth development.
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