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. 2021 May 15;43(3):205-210.

Child Nutrition Patterns Are Associated with Primary Dentition Dental Caries

Erin E Tilton  1 , Martha Ann Keels  2 , Miguel A Simancas-Pallares  3 , Rocío B Quiñonez  4 , Michael W Roberts  5 , Andrea G Ferreira Zandona  6 , Kimon Divaris  7
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Child Nutrition Patterns Are Associated with Primary Dentition Dental Caries

Erin E Tilton et al. Pediatr Dent. .

Abstract

Purpose: Diet is a well-established, modifiable factor influencing dental caries risk. However, evidence regarding its association with distinct clinical patterns of dental caries is lacking. The purpose of this study was to identify the association of child nutrition patterns with two distinct clinical presentations (subtypes) of childhood dental caries. Methods: The study sample comprised 120 children who were patients of a private pediatric dental practice: 30 ages one to three years (mean equals 2.2 years) with anterior carious lesions; 30 ages four to 12 years (mean equals six years) with posterior-only carious lesions; and 60 age-, gender-, and payment method-matched caries-free controls. Participants underwent dental examinations, and their guardians completed a 17-item nutrition frequency questionnaire. A latent profile analysis was used to define distinct dietary patterns and, subsequently, test their association with dental caries subtypes. Results: Dietary patterns were differentiated by consumption frequencies of water and cariogenic solid, soft, and liquid food items; a diet cluster characterized by frequent consumption of fruit juice, cereal bars, and daily vitamins was more common (P<0.05) among one- to three-year-old patients with anterior carious lesions compared to matched caries-free controls. Conclusions: These results affirm the key role of dietary patterns in childhood oral health and demonstrate the influence of fermentable carbohydrates on specific clinical subtypes of caries.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Intraoral photograph representative of a group A participant (1-3-year-old children with maxillary anterior caries lesions).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Bitewing radiographs representative of a group B participant (4-12-year-old children with posterior interproximal caries lesions and no anterior caries lesion history).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Distribution of dietary patterns and corresponding mean frequencies of the most discriminant food items in the Latent Profile Analysis in 1-3-year-old (panel a) and 4-12-year-old children (panel b).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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