What is the importance of detecting initial caries lesions in preschool children? Evidences from a cohort study with 2 years of follow-up

Author(s)

Renata Saraiva Guedes

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Odontologia (FO/SDO)
• Defense date: 2015-08-27

Examining board members

Fausto Medeiros Mendes; Thiago Machado Ardenghi; Maria Gabriela Haye Biazevic; Flávio Fernando Demarco; Mariana Minatel Braga Fraga

• Advisor: Fausto Medeiros Mendes

Abstract

The aims of the present cohort study carried out in preschool children were: (1) to evaluate predictive and construct validity of an additional criteria to assess caries lesions activity associated to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS); (2) to evaluate the risk of sound surfaces, initial (scores 1 and 2 of ICDAS) and moderate caries lesions (ICDAS scores 3 and 4) to progress to dentin cavitated lesions (ICDAS scores 5 and 6) in primary teeth; (3) to investigate the influence of presence of initial caries lesions on risk of occurrence of new caries lesions; (4) to evaluate if the impact of dental caries on quality of life of children suffers worsening due to the occurrence of new caries lesions; and (5) to investigate the impact of dental caries in different stages of progression on worsening of oral health-related quality of life. An initial examination was conducted by 15 examiners during the National Children\'s Vaccination Day in June, 2010, in Santa Maria (RS). At this day, 639 children aged from one to five years were examined using the ICDAS for the detection of caries lesions and with an additional criteria for evaluation of caries lesions activity. Other demographic and socioeconomic variables related to each child were collected with the children\'s guardians. A questionnaire to evaluate the impact of oral health on quality of life of the children (Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale - ECOHIS) was also applied for the parents. After two years, the same children were reexamined by four trained and recalibrated examiners to evaluate the oral conditions related to the dental caries. ECOHIS was also answered again. Association among the explanatory and the outcome variables were assessed through Poisson regression analysis (regular or multilevel), which permitted to calculate the relative risk values and respective 95% confidence intervals. After two years, a total of 469 children were re-evaluated (follow-up rate of 73.4%). Active non-cavitated caries lesions in occlusal surfaces presented a twice higher risk of progression when compared with inactive lesions. It was also observed that non-cavitated caries lesions in children presenting extensive caries lesions at the baseline had thrice higher risk of progression than in children with only initial caries lesions. Moreover, children with moderate or extensive caries lesions showed higher risk of having new caries lesions than caries free children. This effect was observed in children who were younger than three years old. When the variable outcome was the impact of oral health on quality of life, children who had new caries lesions presented worsening on quality of life when compared with children who had not developed new caries lesions, and this was related to the severity. Considering the different stages of dental caries on the longitudinal evaluation, only children with moderate or extensive caries lesions at the baseline presented worsening on the quality of life after two years. In conclusion, the additional criteria system to assess caries activity used with the ICDAS presents predictive and construct validity in primary teeth. Nevertheless, initial caries lesions generally present a low progression rate, and these lesions have higher risk of progression in children with at least one moderate or extensive caries lesion in other tooth. Other fact is that the presence of moderate or extensive caries lesions is an important predictor for caries incidence. Nonetheless, compared with caries-free children, children with only initial caries lesions apparently have higher risk of developing new caries lesions only at the earlier ages (up to three years old). In addition, it was observed that higher number of new caries lesions provokes worsening on quality of life of preschool children. However, presence of only initial caries lesions does not cause impact on quality of life after two years, but presence of moderate and extensive caries lesions does cause. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/17068-1 - Evaluation of caries risk factors related to social capital and religiosity and changes in the impact of the disease on the quality of life of children
• Grantee: Renata Saraiva Guedes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate