Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus colonization and caries experience in 3- and 5-year-old Thai children.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the colonization of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in supra-gingival plaque samples and to determine their correlation with the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in Thai children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 344 Thai children, ages 3 and 5 years, were invited to participate in this study. Caries status of the children was examined. Supra-gingival plaque samples were collected. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to evaluate DNA levels of S. mutans and S. sobrinus. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of the children were colonized by S. mutans and 50.9% of them were colonized by S. sobrinus. The prevalence of ECC was 43.8% and 56.2% among 3- and 5-year-old children, respectively, and was significantly associated with the presence of S. mutans and S. sobrinus. The severity of ECC was significantly correlated with increased DNA levels of the two bacteria. Children who were positive for S. mutans and S. sobrinus (Sm+/Sb+) were 8 times or 44 times more likely to experience ECC than children who were Sm-/Sb + or were Sm-/Sb-. CONCLUSIONS: The study evidence further suggest that children colonized by both S. mutans and S. sobrinus are at the higher risk for ECC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Molecular-based qPCR can be used to detect and quantify S. mutans and S. sobrinus colonization for epidemiological and clinical studies for ECC risk assessment.

Mode of delivery, mutans streptococci colonization, and early childhood caries in three- to five-year-old Thai children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether mode of delivery is associated with mutans streptococci (MS) colonization and early childhood caries (ECC) in preschool Thai children. METHODS: Three hundred and fifty mothers and their 3- to 5-year-old children (184 born vaginally and 166 born by Caesarean section) participated in the study. Data included a dental examination, MS colonization assessed by the Dentocult(®) SM Strip Mutans method, and a questionnaire survey of family socio-demographic information, as well as children's birth history, dietary habits, and oral health practices. RESULTS: Overall, ECC prevalence was 56% in 3-year-old and 78% in 5-year-old Thai children. Compared to children delivered by C-section, vaginally born children experienced increased ECC prevalence (73.8% versus 59.6%; P = 0.009) and were more likely to have higher MS scores (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1-2.9), adjusting for mother's gestational age, MS score, feeding practice habits; child's age and tooth brushing habits. Children's MS scores were highly correlated with their mothers' MS scores (P < 0.001). Additionally, children's age, MS colonization, and mothers' prechewing feeding habits were the most significant risk indicators for ECC in Thai children. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that mode of delivery is significantly correlated with MS colonization and caries outcomes in young Thai children. Future studies are needed to further understand the possible biological mechanisms linking mode of child delivery to the colonization of cariogenic microbiota and development of ECC.

Analysis of 587 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma in northern Thailand with a focus on young people.

The increasing incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) especially among younger people has been observed in many parts of the world. The objective of this study was to delineate the profile of patients with oral SCC with an emphasis on younger people in northern Thailand between 1991-2000. The medical records of 587 (median age 65, male-to-female ratio 1:3:1) patients presenting oral SCC were reviewed, with details of demographic data, staging, histological grading, treatment modality and risk factor profile being collated in detail. Seventy-five patients (12.8%) were 45 years of age or below (median age, 39 years). Most patients regardless of age had stage IV disease (56.2%). The most common histological gradings were well or moderately differentiated SCC (79.4%). The most common site regardless was tongue (42.8%). Most patients (79.4%) received treatments with either radiotherapy alone or a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. 64.4% of patients (87.2%) did not have a familial history of cancer. Collectively this data indicates that oral SCC remains a constant problem to the northern Thai population. In addition, the occurrence of oral SCC in young people is relatively high. Therefore, it is recommended that prevention of oral SCC with early detection, early treatment intervention, and withdrawal from risk habits are important factors for improving the wellbeing of these people.

Oral lesions and dental caries status in perinatally HIV-infected children in Northern Thailand.

UNLABELLED: To describe the prevalence of oral lesions and dental caries status in perinatally HIV-infected children. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Paediatric HIV outpatient department at the Nakornping Provincial Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty children with perinatal HIV infection, from early infancy to 12 years of age, were included in the study. These children were examined for oral lesions and dental caries. A number of children receiving antifungal and antiretroviral (ART) therapy were recorded. RESULTS: The mean DMFT and DMFS scores were both 2.1 (SD = 2.3). The dft and dfs scores were 4.1 (SD = 5.0) and 10.9 (SD = 14.8), respectively. A total of 57.5% of the children had one or more oral lesions. Oral candidiasis and hairy leukoplakia were the most common oral lesions. Only 12.5% of children had received ART. A total of 22.5% of the children had a history of receiving antifungal therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Oral lesions and dental caries were relatively high in this study. Consequently, treatment and prevention for oral lesions and dental caries are inevitably required for children with HIV infection in Northern Thailand. Furthermore, ART should be made available for all HIV-infected children to decrease the prevalence of HIV-associated oral lesions.

The relationship of dental calculus to caries, gingivitis, and selected salivary factors in 11- to 13-year-old children in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Thai children have been shown to accumulate large amounts of dental calculus. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of calculus to caries and gingivitis, and salivary conditions which may contribute to calculus accumulation. Four-hundred and thirty-nine (439) children from 18 schools in Chiang Mai were selected for this study. The children were given oral examinations to determine calculus index (CI); decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS); decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT); gingival index (GI); and plaque index (PI). Children with mean CI scores > or =1 (206) were assigned to the calculus group; the 233 children with mean CI scores of <1 to the noncalculus group. Saliva was collected from 60 randomly-selected children in each group. Unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva and stimulated parotid saliva were assessed for flow rate, pH, and buffer capacity using 2 methods. Results showed that calculus status was not significantly associated with caries, but that there was a high association between gingivitis and plaque status with calculus accumulation (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in saliva flow rate, pH, or buffer capacity between calculus and noncalculus groups. The lack of association between calculus status and caries indicated these 2 conditions have different etiologies and suggests the importance of plaque and calculus prevention programs, in addition to caries control efforts, to maintain oral health of Thai children.

Prevalence of developmental enamel defects and dental caries in rural pre-school Thai children.

The prevalence of developmental enamel defects and dental caries was assessed in 344 Karen children aged 1-4 years who were chronically (70 per cent) and acutely malnourished (9.3 per cent) The teeth were cleaned with gauze to facilitate detection of hypoplastic lesions on labial surfaces of maxillary incisors. At least one tooth with defective enamel was seen in 31.9 per cent of children, while enamel hypoplasia was present in 22.7 per cent of children. Enamel defects were found in 21.2 per cent of teeth, with hypoplasia and opacities occurring in 14.6 and 6.6 per cent of teeth, respectively. Gender did not alter the prevalence of defects. The upper central incisors were affected more than lateral incisors. The prevalence of dental caries was 31.9 per cent with a mean dt of 1.1. The prevalence of caries associated with enamel hypoplasia was significantly greater than that associated with opacities and sound enamel (P < 0.0005).