Risk factors for dental caries development in children

Abstract

Dental status depends on the number of factors, including the state of child somatic health and dysplastic scoliosis, in particular. The purpose of the paper was to study the indices of prevalence and intensity of dental caries in children with dysplastic scoliosis of different severity, to estimate the structural and functional enamel acid resistance (ERT-test) of their teeth to follow up the development of complex of caries-preventive measures. 551 children aged 7 to 15 years with dysplastic scoliosis and 236 almost healthy children have been examined. Results. Prevalence and intensity of dental caries in children with dysplastic scoliosis is higher as compared with almost healthy children of all age periods. In this way in patients aged 8 years the prevalence of caries of permanent teeth was accounted for 36,36±10,25%; intensity according to CFE index was 0,68±0,20, whereas in controls these indices were 16,00±7,33% and 0,16±0,07, respectively. Indices got higher with age and at the age of 10 the prevalence of caries reached 46,15±9,77%, intensity was 1,11±0,29, and in controls the indices were 23,07±8,26% and 0,31±0,11, respectively. The prevalence of caries of 12 year-old children was 75,68±4,99%, intensity — 2,12±0,20, whereas in almost healthy children the indices were 51,22±7,81 and 1,07±0,17, respectively. In adolescents with dysplastic scoliosis aged 15 years the prevalence of caries increased to 96,15±3,77%, intensity — to 4,07±0,39 against 68,20±9,90% and 1,68±0,27, respectively, in control group (p<0,05). The direct dependence of caries affection on the severity of the scoliosis has been established. In this way in scoliosis of II degree the prevalence was accounted for 96,34±4,30, intensity was 4,20±0,11, and in children with scoliosis of I degree the indices were 73,82±8,29% and 2,29±0,08, respectively. Children with dysplastic scoliosis showed the decreased structural and functional enamel acid resistance: 4,91±0,15 points in scoliosis of I degree and 7,54±0,28 points in scoliosis of II degree indicating about moderate and low resistance. The ERT-test was significantly better (3,23±0,16 points) in healthy children. The lowest indices were found in individuals with carious teeth (6,18±0,16 points), and in children with intact teeth the ERT-test was accounted for 3,41±0,15 points; the value of ERT index in almost healthy children with caries was 3,81±0,18 points, and in intact teeth it was 2,17±0,12 points (p<0,05). Conclusions. The findings show that the prevalence and intensity of dental caries in children with dysplastic scoliosis is significantly higher as compared with healthy children, especially in children with scoliosis of II degree, indicating about the impact of this disease on the onset of dental caries. Generally, children with scoliosis have moderate and low structural and functional enamel acid resistance, indicating about the predisposition of hard tooth tissues to dental caries origination and provides for necessity of preventive measures towards the increase of enamel resistance in children with scoliosis.