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Birth order is associated with caries development in young children: a register-based cohort study
A Julihn1,2,3, F C Soares4, U Hammarfjord5
1Division of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. annika.julihn@ki.se.
BMC Public Health
|February 14, 2020
Summary
Higher birth order increases a child's risk of developing dental caries. This study found that later-born children have a significantly higher chance of experiencing caries compared to first-born children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Birth order is a known factor influencing child health outcomes.
- Limited research exists on the specific impact of birth order on dental caries development in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between birth order and the incidence of dental caries in young children.
- To determine if birth order can serve as a predictor for caries development.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective registry-based cohort study of 65,259 children born in Stockholm County between 2000-2003.
- Children were followed from age 3 to 7 years, with caries increment (Δdeft > 0) as the outcome.
- Logistic regression analysis adjusted for sociodemographic factors was used to assess the association between birth order and caries.
Main Results:
- 22.5% of children developed dental caries between ages 3 and 7.
- A statistically significant positive association was found between higher birth order and increased caries increment.
- The risk of caries increased progressively with birth order, with fifth-born or higher children showing the highest odds ratio (OR 1.84).
Conclusions:
- Birth order is a significant factor influencing dental caries development in children.
- Birth order can be considered a valuable predictor for assessing caries risk in preschool-aged children.
- Caries prevention strategies should consider birth order, especially for children with older siblings.
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