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. 2021;55(5):505-514.
doi: 10.1159/000518890. Epub 2021 Aug 25.

Early-Life Patterns of Sugar Consumption and Dental Caries in the Permanent Teeth: A Birth Cohort Study

Carlos Alberto Feldens  1 , Igor Fonseca Dos Santos  1 , Paulo Floriani Kramer  1   2 , Márcia Regina Vítolo  3 , Vanessa Simas Braga  1 , Benjamin W Chaffee  4
Affiliations

Early-Life Patterns of Sugar Consumption and Dental Caries in the Permanent Teeth: A Birth Cohort Study

Carlos Alberto Feldens et al. Caries Res. 2021.

Abstract

Early-life family conditions may presage caries development in childhood. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between patterns of sugar consumption in early childhood and permanent dentition caries at age 6 years. A cohort enrolled women accessing prenatal care at public health clinics in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, and dietary data were collected during pregnancy and 6-month, 12-month, and 3-year follow-ups. Calibrated dental examinations occurred at ages 3 and 6 years. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed in series to quantify associations between early-life variables and permanent dentition caries. At age 6 years, 7.9% of children (21/266) had ≥1 caries lesion on permanent teeth (first molars). In unadjusted models, gestational weight gain, sweet food introduction (age 6 months), household sugar purchases (age 3 years), and caries (age 3 years) were positively associated with permanent dentition caries (age 6 years). In multivariable models, each 1-kg increase in gestational weight gain (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.16) and each 1-item increase in sweet food consumption at age 6 months (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.59) remained statistically significantly associated with permanent molar caries. Findings from this cohort study suggest family and child factors that long predate the permanent dentition, including sugar-related behaviors, predict future dental status, and may inform prevention strategies.

Keywords: Child; Cohort studies; Dental caries; Diet; Life-course; Sugar.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Flow diagram: study participation from enrollment to 6-year assessment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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