DMFT in Children Is Associated with Multiple Maternal Factors

Objectives: To identify maternal factors associated with caries severity in the permanent dentition of children age 5 to18.

Methods: From the population-based cohort of families ascertained by the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA), we studied 248 children with at least one permanent tooth from 148 families. Children's parents self-reported household income, type of birth (vaginal versus C-section), and the number of weeks of gestation at the children's time of birth. Children's and mothers' DMFT was determined by clinical examination using the NHANES III criteria. Multilevel regression was used, nesting children within families and controlling for age, number of permanent teeth present, and household income. Because all participants were Caucasian, race was not used as a covariate.

Results: In a model with all predictors entered simultaneously, children's DMFT was higher with higher mothers' DMFT (B = 0.06, SE = 0.03, p < 0.03). DMFT was marginally higher with fewer weeks gestation prior to birth (B = -0.09, SE = 0.05, p < .06). Type of birth was not associated with children's DMFT.

Conclusions: Research suggests that prenatal and early childhood environment are associated with lifelong health. We found that caries severity is associated with several maternal factors, including mother's DMFT and number of weeks of gestation at time of birth. Although previous research demonstrated that children born via C-section were colonized with Strep mutans earlier than those born vaginally, we did not find increased levels of caries among children born via C-section. Future research should determine pathways through which these factors operate. NIH Grant #R01-DE014889.