Maternal oral bacterial levels predict early childhood caries development.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To calculate the association of maternal salivary bacterial challenge (mutans streptococci [MS] and lactobacilli [LB]) from pregnancy through 24 months' postpartum with child caries incidence (≥1 cavitated or restored teeth) at 36 months.

Materials & methods

Dental, salivary bacterial, sociodemographic, and behavioral measures were collected at three- to six-month intervals from a birth cohort of low-income Hispanic mother-child dyads (N = 243). We calculated the relative child caries incidence, adjusted for confounding, following higher maternal challenge of MS (>4500 colony-forming units per milliliter of saliva [CFU/mL]) and LB (>50 CFU/mL) based on multivariable models.

Results

Salivary MS and LB levels were greater among mothers of caries-affected child

SUBMITTER: Chaffee BW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3929977 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature