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Oral Health of 7- to 9-Year-Old Children Born Prematurely-A Case-Control Observational Study with Randomized Case

Heide L Schlesinger1,2, Roswitha Heinrich-Weltzien1, Ina M Schüler1

  • 1Section of Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany.

Dentistry Journal
|December 27, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Preterm birth increases risks for developmental defects of enamel and poor periodontal health in children. Extremely low birthweight infants face the highest susceptibility to dental caries and gingivitis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Neonatal Health
  • Oral Health Research

Background:

  • Preterm birth can lead to long-term health issues, including potential impacts on oral health due to developmental and behavioral factors.
  • Oral health in children born prematurely requires specific attention beyond general health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare oral health parameters in the mixed dentition of prematurely born children versus full-term born children.
  • To assess differences in dental caries, enamel defects, and gingival inflammation between these groups.

Main Methods:

  • Compared 7-to-9-year-old children born preterm (PT) (n=38) to matched full-term (FT) controls in Germany.
  • Assessed dental caries (ICDAS II, DMFT/dmft), developmental defects of enamel (DDE-Index), and gingival inflammation (PSI).
  • Utilized McNemar's test and Poisson regression for statistical analysis (p ≤ 0.05).

Main Results:

  • FT children had higher caries prevalence in primary dentition (2.7 dmft) than PT children (1.6 dmft; p=0.035).
  • Prevalence of DDE in primary teeth was significantly higher in PT children (55.3%) versus FT (28.9%; p=0.008).
  • Extremely low birthweight (ELBW) preterm infants showed the highest caries experience and PSI scores, indicating greater susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm children exhibit an elevated risk for developmental defects of enamel in primary teeth and compromised periodontal health compared to full-term children.
  • Children born with extremely low birthweight are particularly vulnerable to dental caries and gingivitis.
  • Early monitoring and intervention for oral health are crucial for preterm infants.

Keywords:
dental cariesdevelopmental defects of enamelprematurity

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