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Microbial Profile and Dental Caries in Cleft Lip and Palate Babies Between 0 and 3 Years Old
Müesser Ahu Durhan1, Nursen Topcuoglu2, Guven Kulekci2
11 Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Insights
Newborns with cleft lip and palate (CP±L) show higher levels of Lactobacilli and Candida, increasing their risk for early childhood caries. These microbiological differences are evident from birth and persist after the first primary tooth eruption.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Microbiology
- Oral Health
Background:
- Infants with cleft lip and palate (CP±L) may have altered oral microbiome development.
- Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant concern in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microbiological changes in infants with CP±L from birth to age 3.
- To correlate these changes with caries development.
- To compare findings with healthy infants and their mothers' oral microbiota.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 21 infants with CP±L and 13 healthy controls.
- Intraoral samples collected from infants at least 3 times over 3 years.
- Maternal saliva samples collected post-birth; caries status recorded.
Main Results:
- Candida was prevalent at birth in the CP±L group (42%).
- Lactobacilli levels were significantly higher in CP±L infants at birth and after primary tooth eruption (P=.029, P=.030).
- Mutans Streptococci were found in 10% of CP±L infants at birth; 20% developed initial caries compared to 0% in controls.
Conclusions:
- Infants with CP±L exhibit distinct microbiological profiles from birth.
- These infants represent a high-risk group for early childhood caries development.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to examine the microbiological changes in newborn babies with cleft lip palate from birth up to age 3 and to correlate them with their caries levels and mothers' microbiological data and to compare with normal infants.
Basic Research Design:
Prospective.
Settings:
Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry Clinic, and Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital New Born Clinic.
Patients/Participants:
Cleft lip palate (n = 21) and healthy (n = 13) newborns and their mothers.
Material And Methods:
Intraoral samples were taken from babies in each group at least 3 times over the 3 years. Saliva samples of the mothers were collected just after the birth of the babies and examined microbiologically. Dental caries was noted as either present or absent.
Results:
The most frequent microorganisms were candida, found at birth (n = 9, 42%) in cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP±L) group. The number of babies infected with Lactobacilli were found to be significantly higher in the CP±L group than in the control group at birth ( P = .029) and after eruption of the first primary tooth ( P = .030). Mutans Streptococci were found in 10% of babies with CP±L at birth. Initial caries was identified in 20% of the babies with an oral cleft compared with 0% of the controls after eruption of the first primary incisors.
Conclusion:
The results show that the CP±L babies must be considered as a group with an increased caries risk.
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