Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Maternal Oral Health and Early Childhood Caries amongst Low-Income Families
A C Mafla1,2, L S Moran1, E Bernabe3
1School of Dentistry, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Colombia.
Objective:
To determine the association between maternal oral health and Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and discover the role of maternal and child behaviours in explaining this association.
Basic Research Design:
A cross-sectional analytic study.
Clinical Setting:
Public Healthcare Services in Pasto, Colombia.
Participants:
384 mothers and their 2-5-year-old children.
Methods:
Mothers completed a questionnaire to provide information on sociodemographic and behavioural factors and were examined for caries experience (DMFS index) and periodontal status (Community Periodontal Index, CPI). Children were examined for dental caries (dmfs index). The association between maternal dental indicators and child dmfs was assessed in negative binomial regression adjusting for confounders.
Results:
About 96% and 33% of mothers had caries experience and periodontal disease, respectively. The mean dmfs was 7.4 (SD: 9.5, range: 0-71). Maternal DMFS, but not CPI, was positively associated with children's dmfs (Rate Ratio: 2.51, 95%CI: 1.59-3.97) after adjustments for sociodemographic and behavioural factors.
Conclusions:
Maternal caries experience, but not periodontal status, was positively associated with ECC in their children. Maternal and child behaviours explained little of this association.
Related Concept Videos
Teeth
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...
Tooth 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...
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Oral
Weaning, typically occurring...
Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...

