Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Oral Health, Early Childhood

  • Chapter
Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion

  • 28 Accesses

Abstract

In his report “Oral Health in America”, the US Surgeon General identified a “silent epidemic” of dental disease within the United States (US Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000). Children in poor families bear a particularly heavy bürden, with many unable to achieve their füll potential because tooth decay and other dental diseases interfere with their well-being and functioning. Poor oral health is all the more tragic because safe, effective and low-cost preventive methods are available for use by the public, health Professionals and related groups. This entry reviews the scope of dental problems faced by children 0–5 years of age, the preventive methods available to address these problems, the evidence for their effectiveness, and recommendations for their use.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Almeida, R., Hill, I., & Kenney, G. (2001). Does SCHIP spell better dental care access for children ? An early look at new initiatives. Retrieved August 6, 2001, from http://newfederalism.urban.org

    Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (1995). Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine. Recommendations for pediatric health care. Pediatrics, 96, 833.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Committee on Drugs. (1996). Unapproved uses of approved drugs: the physician, the package insert, and the Food and Drug Administration: subject review. Pediatrics, 98, 118–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). (2000). 2000–2001 American academy of pediatric dentistry reference manual. Pediatric Dentistry, 22(Suppl.), 1–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Autio-Gold, J.T., & Courts, F. (2001). Assessing the effect of fluoride varnish on early enamel carious lesions in the primary dentition. Journal of the American Dental Association, 132, 1247–1253.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bader, J.D., Shugars, D.A., Rozier, R.G. et al. (2000). Diagnosis and management of dental caries: Evidence report (Vols. 1 & 2). Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, J.D. (1998). Risk revisited. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 26, 220–225.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J.L., Wall, T.P., & Lazar, V. (2000). Trends in untreated caries in primary teeth of children 2 to 10 years old. Journal of the American Dental Association, 131, 93–100.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Casamassimo, P.S. (1996). Bright futures in practice: Oral health. Arlington, VA: National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cashion, S.W., Vann, W.F., Jr., Rozier, R.G., Venezie, R.D., & Mclver, F.T. (1999). Children’s utilization of dental care in the NC Medicaid program. Pediatric Dentistry, 21, 97–103.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (1999). Achievements in public health, 1900–1999: fluoridation of drinking water to prevent dental caries. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports, 48(41), 933–940.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2001). Recommendations for using fluoride to prevent and control dental caries in the United States. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, 50(RR14), 1–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creedon, M.I., & O’Mullane, D.M. (2001). Factors affecting caries levels amongst 5-year-old children in County Kerry, Ireland. Community Dental Health, 18, 72–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drury, T.F., Horowitz, A.M., Ismail, A.I., Maertens, M.P., Rozier, R.G., & Selwitz, R.H. (1999). Diagnosing and reporting early childhood caries for research purposes: Report of a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Health Resources and Services Administration, and Health Care Financing Administration. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 59, 191–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, C.A. (2001). Opportunity: Creating a national oral health plan. Journal of Dental Research, 80, 1784.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Featherstone, J.D.B. (2000). The science and practice of caries prevention. Journal of the American Dental Association, 131, 887–899.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, B., Neve, H., & Heritage, Z. (1999). Community development, user involvement, and primary health care. British Medical Journal, 318, 749–750.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • General Accounting Office. (2000). Oral health: Factors contributing to low use of dental services by low-income populations. GAO/HEHS-00-72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, L.W., & Kreuter, M.W. (1999). Health promotion planning: An education and ecological approach (3rd ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardison, J.R., Collier, D.R., Sprouse, L.W., Van Cleave, M.L., & Hogan, A.D. (1987). Retention of pit and fissure sealant on the primary molars of 3- and 4-year-old children after 1 year. Journal of the American Dental Association, 114, 613–615.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). (1998). Oral disease, a crisis among children in poverty. Retrieved September 15, 2001, from http://www.hrsa.gov/oralhealth

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm, A.K. (1979). Effect of fluoride varnish (Duraphat) in preschool children. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 7, 241–245.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine (IOM), Food and Nutrition Board. (1997). Dietary reference intakes: Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ismail, A.I. (1998). Prevention of early childhood caries. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 26(Suppl. 1), 49–61.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanellis, M.J. (2000). Caries risk assessment and prevention: Strategies for Head Start, Early Head Start, and WIC. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 60, 210–217.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaste, L.M., Drury, T.F., Horowitz, A.M., & Beltran, E. (1999). An evaluation of NHANES III estimates of early childhood caries. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 59, 198–200.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klimek, J., Prinz, H., Hellwig, E., & Ahrens, G. (1985). Effect of a preventive program based on professional toothcleaning and fluoride application on caries and gingivitis. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 13, 295–298.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kowash, M.B., Pinfield, A., Smith, J., & Curzon, M.E.J. (2001). Effectiveness on oral health of a long-term health education programme for mothers with young children. British Dental Journal, 188, 2001–2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Last, J.M., & Abramson, J.H. (1995). A dictionary of epidemiology (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D.W., & Ismail A.I. (1995). Periodic health examination, 1995. Update: 2. Prevention of dental caries. Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 152, 836–846.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewit, E.M., & Monheit, A.C. (1992). Expenditures on health for children and pregnant women. In: Center for the Future of Children. US health care for children. Los Altos, CA: Center for the Future of Children, David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locker, D., Lawrence, H., & Jokovic, A. (1999). Benefits and risks for water fluoridation. Report prepared for Ontario’s public consultation on water fluoridation levels. Toronto, CN: University of Toronto.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood, S.A., & Malvitz, D.M. (1995). Trends in state agency oral health and public health expenditures, 1984 through 1989. American Journal of Public Health, 85, 1266–1268.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milgrom, P., Hujoel, P., Grembowski, D., & Fong, R. (1999). A community strategy for Medicaid child dental services. Public Health Report, 114, 528–532.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak, A.J., & Casamassimo, P.S. (1995). Using anticipatory guidance to’ provide early dental intervention. Journal of American Dental Association, 126, 1156–1163.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak, A.J., & Warren, J.J. (2000). Infant oral health and oral habits. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 47, 1043–1066.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2000). Healthy People 2010. Retrieved September 12, 2001, from http://www.health. gov/healthypeople/Document/HTML/Volume2/21Oral.htm#_ Toc489700403

    Google Scholar 

  • Rozier, R.G. (2001). Effectiveness of methods used by dental professionals for the primary prevention of dental caries. Journal of Dental Education, 65, 1067–1077.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slavkin, H.C. (1998). Meeting the challenges of craniofacial-oral-dental birth defects. Retrieved September 15, 2001, from www.nidcr.nih.gov/ slavkin/birth%5Fdf.htm

    Google Scholar 

  • Slavkin, H.C. (1999). Streptococcus mutans, early childhood caries and new opportunities. Journal of the American Dental Association, 130, 1787–1792.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sogaard, A.J. (1993). Theories and models of health behavior. In L. Schou & A.S. Blinkhorn (Ed.), Oral health promotion (pp. 25–64). New York: Oxford Medical.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinanoff, N. (1995). Critique of evolving methods for caries risk assessment. Journal of Dental Education, 59, 980–995.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tinanoff, N., & Palmer, C.A. (2000). Dietary determinants of dental caries and dietary recommendations for preschool children. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 60, 197–206.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). (2000). Oral health in America. A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), Office of the Inspector General. (1996). Children’s dental services under Medicaid. Access and utilization. San Francisco: Office of Evaluation and Inspection; Publication No. OE1-09-93-00240.

    Google Scholar 

  • US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). (1996). Guide to clinical preventive services (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas, C.M., Crall, J.J., & Schneider, D.A. (1998). Sociodemographic distribution of pediatric dental caries: NHANES III, 1988–1994. Journal of the American Dental Association, 129, 1229–1238.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, M.R. (2000). Response to Kanellis: Caries risk assessment and prevention, strategies for Head Start, Early Head Start, and WIC. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 60, 218–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Tegwyn L. Hughes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Georgia G. Dela Cruz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Gary Rozier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Thomas P. Gullotta Martin Bloom Jonathan Kotch Craig Blakely Lynne Bond Gerald Adams Colette Browne Waldo Klein Jessica Ramos

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hughes, T.L., Dela Cruz, G.G., Rozier, R.G. (2003). Oral Health, Early Childhood. In: Gullotta, T.P., et al. Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0195-4_111

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0195-4_111

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4961-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0195-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation