Analiza nawyków żywieniowo-higienicznych oraz pH i pojemności buforowej śliny w aspekcie intensywności próchnicy u dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym

Tomasz Kowalik, *Joanna Szczepańska

Summary
Introduction. High caries susceptibility in pre-school children induces the search for the range of possible causes of such condition, constant monitoring of caries rates and effective means of caries prevention as this chronic condition affects a considerable part of the population. Improper patterns of behaviour such as bad dietary habits, insufficient oral hygiene together with biological factors such as saliva composition, pH level and buffer capacity all prove to have a significant effect on the onset and progression of carious process.
Aim. To determine the relation between dietary-hygiene habits, saliva pH, saliva buffer capacity and caries incidence in pre-school children.
Material and methods. Medical history and clinical dental examination were undertaken on a group of 121 children at the age of 4-6 years. The studied children were divided into 3 groups based on DMFT index: group I included children who were caries-free (dmft index = 0), group II – children with small amount of carious lesions (dmft ≥ 1 and ≤ 2) and group III included children with high caries rate (dmft ≥ 3). Saliva pH level, buffer capacity and data obtained from questionnaires directed to children parents were subjected to evaluation.
Results. Frequent consumption of sweets between meals results in the over two-fold increase in the risk of caries incidence. Only 14% of parents actively participate in their children tooth brushing routine. 33% percent of the children ingest meals and drinks after brushing their teeth in the evening. There is also a correlation between saliva pH and its buffer capacity (p = 0.00). The study also found some relations between saliva pH level and carious process progression (p = 0.04).
Conclusions. Improper diet-hygiene habits account for higher caries rates in pre-school children.

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