Early childhood caries risk indicators in Latvia: a case-control study

AIM Due to high caries prevalence in Latvia, previous studies of caries risk lacked caries-free participants for reliability data analysis. We aimed to analyze early childhood risk indicators using a case-control study. METHODS A validated questionnaire (Maldupa et al. 2021) was adapted to the study population and administered by trained professionals during face-to-face visits (30-min) from 09/2020-12/2021 until a pre-specified sample size was reached. Data were entered in an ad-hoc form, analyzed by R, Tydiverse. RESULTS We obtained data from 271 caregivers (156-cases, 115-controls). A logistic regression model included age, gender, hygiene, plaque, attendance of dental hygienists, bottle-feeding, breastfeeding, diet and mouth-breathing. Within this model, lack of parental brushing (OR=9.33;95%CI=2.8-36.9) and visible plaque (OR=5.4,95%CI=2.35-13.1) showed the highest relation to ECC. To analyze toothbrushing and diet, we took into account if the family has changed any habit during the last year. The likelihood of ECC increases if one brushes 1) exclusively in the morning or less than once-a-day or with a non-fluoride toothpaste (OR=11.9;95%CI=1.64-249); 2) in the evening with a low-fluoride toothpaste (OR=16.5;95%CI=2.28-347); 3) in the evening (OR=15.5;95%CI=2.06-333) or twice-a-day with F-toothpaste (OR=9.75;95%CI=1.62-190), but has acquired this habit in the last year. ECC is also more common in families that have reduced their consumption of sweets and sugary drinks in the last year. CONCLUSIONS Regular parental brushing with F-toothpaste removing visible plaque is associated with better dental health in toddlers, and caries may be a reason why families reduce their sweets consumption.