Relationships between dietary behaviours, oral hygiene and mutans streptococci in dental plaque of a group of infants in southern England
Feeding and oral hygiene habits of preschool children in Hong Kong and their caregivers’ dental knowledge and attitudes
The relationship between diet, saliva and baby bottle tooth decay
Three studies - one conclusion: Regular and early brushing is the key to healthy baby teeth.
Early childhood caries, or baby bottle tooth decay, is a disease that occurs worldwide. Three selected studies examined caries in very young children.
Mina Habibian et al. worked with a test group of 163 small children from southern England. The children were given a dental exam at twelve and eighteen months. Their parents kept a three-day feeding diary for their children during the sixth, twelfth and eighteenth months. In addition, they answered 68 questions about demographics, feeding practices, dental hygiene and the general health of their babies.
S.C.L. Chan, et al. arbitrarily selected 666 children for a cross-sectional study, with an average age of 20.19 months, from six maternity and children‘s health centres in Hong Kong. In standardised interviews, the parents were asked about feeding habits and oral hygiene as well as their attitude and knowledge about dental health in standardised interviews. Each child was given a dental examination as well.
Stephen J. Moss conducted a meta-analysis to examine the causes of baby bottle tooth decay.
Early and regular brushing helps prevent tooth decay.
Prolonged sucking on a bottle or breast is the main cause of developing early childhood caries. Because of this neither the breast nor a bottle should be offered as a substitute for a soother.
“Significantly more caries free children started tooth brushing early.“ S.C.L. Chan
Two variables correlated with the occurrence of mutans streptococci: „The age when tooth brushing started and total eating and drinking events per day.“ Habibian
“… children who brush their own teeth without help have been shown to be more likely to develop dental caries than those who sometimes, or always, have their teeth brushed by an adult.“ S.C.L. Chan
“The infant’s teeth, when appearing in the mouth also should be cleaned twice a day.“ S. Moss