Caries prevention with xylitol lozenges in children related to maternal anxiety. A demonstration project

• Published in: European archives of paediatric dentistry 2012-04, Vol.13 (2), p.64-69
• Main Authors: Olak, J., Saag, M., Vahlberg, T., Söderling, E., Karjalainen, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety; Bacterial Load; Cariostatic Agents - therapeutic use; Child, Preschool; Demographic aspects; Dental Anxiety - psychology; Dental Care; Dental caries; Dental Caries - microbiology; Dental Caries - prevention & control; Dental health; Dentistry; DMF Index; Education; Educational Status; Female; Fluorides - therapeutic use; Follow-Up Studies; Health aspects; Health attitudes; Humans; Infant; Infant Care; Medicine; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers - psychology; Mouth - microbiology; Oral Hygiene; Patient Education as Topic; Prevention; Prevention programs; Scientific Article; Smoking; Streptococcus mutans - isolation & purification; Sweetening Agents - therapeutic use; Toothbrushing; Toothpastes - therapeutic use; Xylitol; Xylitol - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1818-6300; 1996-9805
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03262846

AIM: This was to compare the effect of a prevention program between children of anxious and non-anxious mothers. METHODS : Mothers (n=120) with high and low dental anxiety scores (DAS≥15 and DAS ≤8, respectively), and with high levels of mutans streptococci (≥10 5 cfu/mL) were recruited at a maternity clinic of Tartu, Estonia. Two groups: 30 highly anxious, and 30 non-anxious mothers used xylitol (6 g/day) for 33 months and a non-treatment group of 60 mothers, both highly and low anxious (30 in each sub-group), acted as controls. All mothers were interviewed for oral health habits and education, and their dental health was examined. Due to discontinued participation 75% of the children (n=90) were examined at 2 and at 3 years of age. RESULTS : Anxious mothers brushed less frequently (p=0.014), had a longer time since their last dental visit (p