To evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the association between malocclusion and dental caries in adolescents. Searches were conducted of six electronic databases, complemented by manual searching of the reference lists of the selected articles and grey literature. Two independent reviewers performed the selection of the articles, data extraction and the evaluation of the risks of bias through an assessment of methodological quality. Meta-analysis was performed considering the mean decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index for caries and the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) for malocclusion. Heterogeneity was tested using the I2 statistic and a random effect model was employed. Summary effect measures were calculated as differences in means. The initial search retrieved 2644 studies, only 15 of which were selected for full-text analysis. Four cross-sectional studies were included in the qualitative systematic review. Only one of these studies found no association between malocclusion and dental caries. The meta-analysis of three studies demonstrated that a lower DAI value was significantly associated with a lower mean DMFT index, except for the comparison of DAI 26–30 vs. 31–35. Based on the studies analysed, the scientific evidence indicates an association between malocclusion and dental caries.

Association between malocclusion and dental caries in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives 
Non-nutritive sucking (NNS) is a common behavior in childhood. The association between digit sucking, dental caries and oral health has been studied with inconclusive results. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of, and the association between digit sucking, caries and oral hygiene status of children age six months to 12 years, resident in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.


Methods 
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State. Data were collected through a household survey using a multi-stage sampling procedure from children between six months and 12 years. Details of each child’s socio-demographic characteristics, digit sucking habits, caries status and oral health status were collected. The association between digit sucking, caries status and oral hygiene status was determined using Chi square and Logistic regression.


Results 
The mean age of the 992 study participants was 5.8 ± (3.2) years. The prevalence of digit sucking, caries and poor oral hygiene were 7.2%, 10.5% and 2.4% respectively. The mean dmft score was 0.22 ± (0.80), mean DMFT score was 0.04 ± (0.30) while mean Oral Hygiene Index score was 1.27 ± (0.73). Digit sucking increased the odds of having caries (OR: 1.28; CI: 0.58–2.81) but decreased the odds of having poor oral hygiene (OR: 0.58; CI: 0.34–1.01) insignificantly.


Conclusions 
Digit sucking was not a significant predictor of caries and oral hygiene status, although the odds of having caries increased while the odds of having poor oral hygiene decreased with digit sucking.

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Digit Sucking Habit and Association with Dental Caries and Oral Hygiene Status of Children Aged 6 Months to 12 Years Resident in Semi-Urban Nigeria

Oral health behavior and attitudes of pregnant women in low-income countries are rarely examined, yet should be considered when designing preventative or therapeutic studies to reduce burden of oral diseases. We aimed to understand dental care-seeking behavior, as well as oral health knowledge and attitudes of oral health among pregnant women in rural Nepal. Semi-structured in-depth interviews (n = 16) and focus group discussions (3 groups, n = 23) were conducted among pregnant and recently-delivered women in Sarlahi, Nepal. Transcripts were translated from the local language to English then analyzed using a hybrid approach to thematic coding with Atlas.ti version 7. Women felt confident describing the signs and symptoms of tooth decay and gum disease, but were not knowledgeable about where to receive care for tooth and/or gum pain and relied heavily on the knowledge of their community. Some women used a toothbrush and toothpaste at least once a day to clean their teeth, but many reported the traditional use of a branch of a local shrub or tree as their teeth cleaning instrument. Women suggested a willingness to consider using an oral rinse throughout pregnancy, perceiving that it might have a positive impact on infant health. Future studies should focus on providing adequate and sustainable resources for pregnant women in Nepal and other low income settings to engage in good oral health behaviors (possibly supported through community-based workers), to maintain dental hygiene, and to access qualified dentists as a means of improving their oral health. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01177111
 (Nepal Oil Massage Study) and NCT02788786
 (Pilot Trial).

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Oral health knowledge, behavior, and care seeking among pregnant and recently-delivered women in rural Nepal: a qualitative study.

1. The authors had asked “why the authors have highlighted in the discussion section that “... the caries prevalence in children has not shown a significant decline”. This statement is not correct.” Globally there is stated to be decline in dental caries but it is not significant as the decline is seen in developed countries while the developing countries show a varying trend. Mehta A2 have shown in their retrospective study using data of 25 years that the trend varied with increase in certain age groups. The National Pathfinder survey of Nepal 20043 shows that 57.5% of five to six years age group and 25.6% of 12 to 16 years age group suffer from dental caries. While the prevalence of dental caries in a study conducted in Nepal in 2017 by Khanal et al4 shows a prevalence of 62 % and Khanal etl al 20145 found 58.3 % prevalence of dental caries among 12 to 15 years old children. The article suggested by the authors:comprehensive review conducted by Frencken et al6 “states the limitation of incompleteness of the data in the WHO databank, with few studies included for the low-income countries’ group. They have further stated that the variations exist in prevalence and severity between high and low-income countries and in the prevalence of open cavitated dentine carious lesions. Dental caries being less prevalent in high-income than in low and lower-middle-income countries among adolescents and adults”.

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Re: Are you Discussing Dental Caries in Children with Current and Local References ? - Letter to the editor.

Background: Dental caries is a preventable multi factorial disease which shows increase in prevalence over last five decades in India. In order to reduce its magnitude and for effective prevention and control, the risk factors and distribution should be well known. This study was planned with the objective of assessing the prevalence and determinants of dental caries among primary school children in an Urban area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, India.Methods: This school based cross sectional study was carried out between November 2017 and February 2018 using a sample size of 430 selected from two schools by simple random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire, which were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 and presented using descriptive and analytical statistics.Results: Among the study participants, 52.9% had dental caries. Plaque accumulation was noted in 46.2%. About 74% were taking junk foods daily. About 47.1% children were rinsing their mouth daily and 34.6% were brushing more than once daily. Factors found to be protective against dental caries were high socio economic class and daily mouth rinsing habit. Odds of getting dental caries was more among children with visible dental plaque, daily junk foods intake, brushing once daily and failing to brush after foods.Conclusions: Dental caries is a high prevalent, preventable disease affecting both young and old aged individuals that can be mitigated by health education activities. Proper oral hygiene can prevent dental caries. Hence more importance should be given for oral hygiene and behavioral changes in dietary habits.

Prevalence and determinants of dental caries among primary school children in urban area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu: a cross sectional study

Oral health is an essential component of health throughout life. There has been a decline in dental caries and periodontal disease in developed countries which can be attributed to the implementation of preventive programmes but in developing countries dental diseases are still on the rise. Therefore this cross sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of dental caries and oral hygiene practices among 12 to 15 years old children. Self administered close ended questionnaires were used to assess the oral hygiene practice. The overall dental caries prevalence was 58.3% and the mean DMFT score was 1.2 (± 1.79) and the deft score was 0.6 (± 1.24). Majority of the children (84.1%) presented with the practice of brushing their teeth once everyday using tooth brush and toothpaste. Regular dental check up was very poor (5.6%) but 77.4% reported that they visited a dentist in case of pain or presence of stains in the teeth. Females (63.4%) and children studying in higher secondary class (74.2%) showed a "good" level of oral hygiene practice than males and children in secondary class respectively. Children having "good" practice presented with "low" dental caries severity. The utilization of dental services was poor in the children, therefore highlighting the necessity to implement preventive programmes is important which would help in reducing the incidence of the dental caries as well as aiding in prompt treatment of dental caries at its initial stages.

S Khanal

Papers

Dental caries status and oral health practice among 12-15 year old children in Jorpati, Kathmandu.