Dental study aims to put a healthy smile on children
Friday, 13 September 2013
Mothers of newborn babies are being urged to join a new study led by the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ that hopes to better understand how to prevent tooth decay in very young children.
The SMILE study (Study of Mothers' and Infants' Life Events affecting oral health) will help dental experts to identify the critical factors that shape the oral health of toddlers and pre-school children.
"Despite a substantial level of resources being dedicated to child oral health, dental decay remains the most prevalent chronic disease in children," says study leader , from the (ARCPOH) at the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ's .
The SMILE study will look at 1800 children from birth until the age of 2-3 years.
Parents will complete questionnaires about various aspects of the child's life, including diet, fluid consumption and other factors that might impact on oral health. Children will be given a dental examination at age 2-3 years, and any health conditions, such as child obesity, will also be noted.
"Children may have varying patterns of oral health practices and different patterns of diet and fluid consumption, leading to different levels of tooth decay risk from a very early lifestage," Associate Professor Do says.
"Such practices may limit the benefit of current oral health preventive programs.
"We believe that oral health should not be looked at in isolation from other factors in children's lives, and that a combined preventive approach, targeting both oral health and general health conditions, could yield significantly greater benefits for children," he says.
Associate Professor Do says the study could also point to differences in the determinants of oral