| Summary: |
The objective of this study was to develop an index which will easily
and inexpensively identdy pregnant women whose unborn children
wiU be at high risk for early childhood caries. This pilot study identified
mothers (n=29) whose 3- to 5-year-old children have at least one carious
or restored surface, and compared them to a control group (n=31)
whose children are caries free. Independent variables included country
of origin, education, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, sugar consumption,
plaque, previous caries experience, active caries, and streptococcus
mutans (sm). Sm (72% cases, 16% controls), active decay
(mean: cases 35, controls 26) and sugar consumption index (mean: cases
36.4, controls 24.9) were the three indicators which were sigruficant in
differentiating the two groups. Sensitivity of all three indicators together
was 0.31, but specificity was 1
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