Plaque, Sugary Drinks Raise Cavity Risk in Preschoolers
April 2, 2008

by Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth News Service

Frequent brushing and fewer sugary drinks could help reduce cavities in young children.

So says a study of more than 2,500 Belgian preschoolers. Of the children, 1,250 were 3 years old and 1,283 were 5 years old. Parents filled out questionnaires. Dentists examined the children's mouths for plaque and cavities.

Among the 3-year-olds:

• About 31 of every 100 had visible plaque on their teeth.
• About 7 of every 100 had at least one cavity.
• Children with visible dental plaque on their teeth were eight times as likely to have tooth decay.
• Children who drank sugary drinks at night were eight times as likely to have tooth decay.

Among the 5-year-olds:

• About 37 of every 100 had plaque on their teeth.
• About 31 of every 100 had at least one cavity.
• Boys were more likely than girls to have at least one cavity.
• Children with visible plaque on their teeth were about three times as likely to have cavities.
• Children who had sugary drinks between meals were two to three times as likely to have cavities.

The researchers also studied just the 5-year-olds with cavities. They found that girls were more likely than boys to have five or more cavities. Overall, 5-year-old girls were less likely than boys to have tooth decay. But in those girls who did have decay, it was often more serious.

The researchers say that removing plaque is important, even at young ages. Plaque is a sticky, yellowish material that includes bacteria. Some of those bacteria help cause decay by eating sugars and producing acid. Educating parents and children about a mouth-healthy diet also is important, the study found.

The researchers said preventive programs should stress having children avoid sugary drinks before bedtime.

Dentists at Catholic University, Leuven, did the study. It appears in the April issue of the journal Community Dentistry and Epidemiology.