Dental erosion is increasingly recognized as a common condition in paediatric dentistry with complications of tooth sensitivity, altered aesthetics and loss of occlusal vertical dimension. The prevalence of erosion in children has been reported to range from 10% to over 80%. The primary dentition is thought to be more susceptible to erosion compared to the permanent dentition due to the thinner and less mineralized enamel. The aim of this paper was to critically review dental erosion in children with regards to its prevalence, aetiology, diagnosis and prevention. The associations between erosion and other common conditions in children such as caries and enamel hypoplasia are also discussed.
Ten individuals were each supplied with a new toothbrush of the same type and brand, together with identical tubes of fluoridated toothpaste. After a three-week period, during which subjects were asked to follow their usual oral hygiene practices, the toothbrushes were collected and assayed for microbial contamination using a range of selective growth media. The total microbial load per toothbrush was found to be 10' to 10 6 colony forming units. Staphylococci were found on all toothbrushes and streptococci on all but one. These two genera were also quantitatively dominant. Candida, corynebacteria , pseudomonads and coliforms were identified in 70, 60, 50 and 30 per cent of toothbrushes , respectively. However, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and black-pigmented Gramnegative anaerobic rods were not detected on any of the toothbrushes. For each individual, information on variables such as toothbrush rinsing practices and post-brushing storage methods and environment was collected. No obvious relationship between such variables and microbial load was apparent but it is suggested that more extensive studies are needed, taking into account additional parameters such as age and degree of toothbrush wear and the use of pre-brushing mouthwashes.
aetiological factors within any given environment in different ethnic groups may provide better insight into the ambiguous aetiology of the hypoplastic enamel defect.
The results suggest that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to observed variation of EH, although it is likely that environmental factors exert a greater influence.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.