Overweight and obese adolescents had more approximal caries than normal-weight individuals. Moreover, the frequent consumption of snacking products during early childhood appears to be a risk indicator for caries at 15 years. Future preventive programmes should therefore include, on a multidisciplinary level, strategies to prevent and reduce both obesity and dental caries at an early age.

The aim of the present investigation was to study the prevalence of approximal caries lesions and fillings in posterior teeth at 15 years of age in a prospectively followed Swedish population (n = 568), with special reference to their caries experience at the age of 3 years. Only approximal surfaces were recorded, since all children in the Community of Jönköping have had fissure sealing performed on all caries-free permanent molars. At 15 years of age, the mean number of approximal tooth surfaces with initial caries lesions (D_ia), manifest caries lesions and fillings (D_mFa) and total caries experience and fillings (D_{i + m}Fa) – recorded on bitewing radiographs – was 2.78 , 0.45 and 3.23, respectively. One third of the adolescents had no approximal caries or fillings; the D_ia constituted 86% of the D_{i + m}Fa. Children with manifest caries at 3 years of age had a higher risk of developing approximal caries in their permanent teeth than caries-free children at the same age (41 vs. 17%). Furthermore, children who were caries-free at 3 years of age were more likely to remain caries-free at 15 years of age compared to children with manifest caries (37 vs. 17%). All these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Additionally, early childhood caries experience (developed before 3 years of age) had a greater predictive value than late childhood caries experience (developed between 3 and 6 years of age) concerning approximal caries at 15 years of age.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of combined use of a toothpaste/mouthrinse containing amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (AmF/SnF2; meridol) on the development of white spot lesions, plaque, and gingivitis on maxillary anterior teeth in orthodontic patients. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study with 115 orthodontic patients (42 males and 73 females, average age 14.4 years, drop outs 18) was designed. Group A (50) brushed twice daily with an AmF/SnF2 toothpaste (1400 ppm F) and rinsed every evening with an AmF/SnF2 solution (250 ppm F). Group B (47) brushed twice daily with a sodium fluoride (NaF) toothpaste (1400 ppm F) and rinsed every evening with a NaF solution (250 ppm F). Visible plaque index (VPI), gingival bleeding index (GBI) and white spot lesion index (WSL) were recorded on the six maxillary anterior teeth at bonding and after debonding, and evaluated with t tests. In group A no significant differences between bonding and debonding were recorded for WSL (1.02 +/- 0.08 versus 1.05 +/- 0.13, P = 0.14), VPI (0.10 +/- 0.21 versus 0.12 +/- 0.21, P = 0.66) or GBI (0.13 +/- 0.21 versus 0.16 +/- 0.22, P = 0.47), whereas statistically significant differences were found in group B between bonding and debonding for WSL (1.00 +/- 0.02 versus 1.08 +/- 0.17, P = 0.01), VPI (0.06 +/- 0.13 versus 0.17 +/- 0.25, P = 0.01) and GBI (0.06 +/- 0.12 versus 0.16 +/- 0.21, P = 0.01). The increase in lesions on the upper anterior teeth was 4.3 per cent in group A and 7.2 per cent in group B. It was concluded that the combined use of an AmF/SnF2 toothpaste/mouthrinse had a slightly more inhibitory effect on white spot lesion development, plaque and gingivitis on maxillary anterior teeth during fixed orthodontic treatment compared with NaF.

Early caries experience, consumption of sweets at an early age and mother's self-estimation of her oral health care as being less good to poor are associated with approximal caries in adolescents. The study indicates that caries determinants identified during early childhood have a strong impact on approximal caries in adolescence.