Abstract
The seriousness and societal costs of dental caries in preschool children are enormous.
National data shows that caries is highly prevalent in poor and near poor
US preschool children, yet this disease is infrequently treated. The etiology includes
elevated colonization levels of mutans streptococci, high frequency sugar
consumption, and developmental defects on primary teeth. A necessary first step
in preventing dental caries in preschool children is evaluating the child’s caries
risk factors that include socioeconomic status, previous carious experience, presence
of white spot lesions, presence of visible plaque, perceived risk by dental
professionals, and microbiologic testing for the presence or quantity of mutans
streptococci. Based on this knowledge, different preventive strategies, as well as
different intensities of preventive therapies, can be employed. Caries preventive
strategies in preschool children include diet modifications to reduce high frequency
sugar consumption, supervised tooth brushing with fluoridated dentifrice,
systemic fluoride supplements to children living in a nonfluoridated area that
are at risk for caries, professional topical fluoride with fluoride varnish, and sealants
for primary molars.(Pediatr Dent. 2002;24:543-551)