Risk Factors for Caries of Permanent Teeth in Japanese Infants : A Cohort Study

The objective of this study was to analyze various factors related to dental caries in Japanese infants. Subjects study comprised infants living in a rural area of the northern part of Honshu Island (n=162). They received dental check-ups provided by the local government when they were 18 months, 2 years, and 3 years old. In the follow-up studies, intraoral examinations, interviews, and mutans scores were recorded using the Dentocult-SMTM at dental check-ups, performed to identify factors affecting the number of decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) at the age of 11 years. Contingency table and logistic regression analyses revealed that DMFT scores at 11 years of age were closely associated with the caries incidence in 2 and 3 year olds, brushing teeth by a carer, eating snacks, having a mentor during the daytime, and Dentocult-SMTM scores. Risk factors for developing dental caries were suggested, and their screening in infants is essential to prevent permanent tooth caries.