Dental Health Imaging, Jobs, Education & Resources

According to a recent study, several bacterial types linked to early childhood caries (ECC) have been found in the saliva of infants prior to the tooth eruption. The study was carried out by a team from the University of Illinois.

ECC is a frequently reported form of dental caries (cavities). Dental caries is included as one of the primary contagious disease to effect children in the United States, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kelly Swanson, lead researcher and U of I professor of animal science, said "By the time a child reaches kindergarten, 40 percent have dental cavities. In addition, populations who are of low socioeconomic status, who consume a diet high in sugar, and whose mothers have low education levels are 32 times more likely to have this disease."

The study involved infants before teeth eruption. Swanson explained "We now recognize that the "window of infectivity," which was thought to occur between 19 and 33 months of age years ago, really occurs at a much younger age," adding "Minimizing snacks and drinks with fermentable sugars and wiping the gums of babies without teeth, as suggested by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, are important practices for new parents to follow to help prevent future cavities."

Meanwhile, researchers in this study applied highly-developed molecular technological techniques to review the microbial features of the oral cavity in the infants evaluated. Swanson noted "Improved DNA technologies allow us to examine a wider population of bacteria, which gives us a more holistic perspective. Like many other diseases, dental cavities are a result of many bacteria in a community, not just one pathogen."

The study showed that the overall oral bacterial burden in infants includes various types of microbes within biofilms; many more bacteria than previously considered as present prior to tooth eruption. Swanson commented "The soft tissues in the mouth appear to serve as reservoirs for potential pathogens prior to tooth eruption. We want to characterize the microbial evolution that occurs in the oral cavity between birth and tooth eruption, as teeth erupt, and as dietary changes occur such as breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, liquid to solid food, and changes in nutrient profile."