Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Dental caries in children participating in a Dentistry for infants Program
Letícia Vargas Freire Martins Lemos1, Angela Cristina Cilense Zuanon2, Silvio Issáo Myaki3
1Pediatric Dentistry of School of Dentistry of Araraquara, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" - UNESP, Araraquara, SP, BR.
Insights
The "Dentistry for Infants" program significantly reduced cavities in young children. Infants in the program had much lower rates of decayed, missing, or filled teeth compared to those not participating.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Preventive Dentistry
Background:
- Early dental interventions are crucial for lifelong oral health.
- Assessing the effectiveness of community-based early dental care programs is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of Jacareí County's "Dentistry for Infants" program on early childhood caries.
- To compare oral health outcomes between program participants and non-participants.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 300 children aged 0-48 months, divided into program participants (n=200) and non-participants (n=100).
- Clinical assessment of carious lesions using the visual-tactile method.
- Statistical analysis included Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Chi-squared test.
Main Results:
- Program participants showed significantly lower caries prevalence (22%) compared to non-participants (73%) (p < 0.0001).
- The mean deft index (decayed, extracted, filled deciduous teeth) was significantly lower in participants (0.66 ± 1.57) versus non-participants (3.45 ± 3.84).
Conclusions:
- The "Dentistry for Infants" early dental care program demonstrated a positive and significant impact on infant oral health.
- Early intervention programs are effective in preventing and managing early childhood caries.
Objective:
To assess the impact of the "Dentistry for Infants" early dental care program run by Jacareí County (SP) by comparing the caries of individuals participating and not participating in this program.
Methods:
In total, 300 children between 0 and 48 months old were assessed in the following two groups: infants not participating in the program (G1, n = 100) and infants participating in the program (G2, n = 200). Each group was further divided according to age in subgroups of 0 to 24 months and 25 to 48 months. All children were clinically assessed for carious lesions using the visual-tactile method. The data were statistically analyzed using a paired Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and χ2 test at a 5% significance level.
Results:
There was a significant difference in the prevalence (P) and mean index of deciduous teeth (deft) (C) that were decayed, indicated for extraction and filled, and the highest values were observed in G1 (p < 0.0001). The values were as follows: PG1, 73%; PG2, 22%; CG1, 3.45 ± 3.84; and CG2, 0.66 ± 1.57.
Conclusion:
Participating in the program positively impacted the infants' oral health.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.