Oral Health

Evelyn Berger-Jenkins, MD

Learning Objectives Recall normal pattern of primary and

secondary tooth development Identify common non-tooth related

pathology in the oral cavity Include screening for caries in well child

care, and establish prevention strategies with parents

Be aware of some of the evidence base around controversial oral health issues

Case #1

‘A’ is a 3-week old, ex-FT boy with no significant peri-natal complications. He comes today for his first well-child visit.

His mother had no complaints, but on exam you notice the following:

3 week-old

Natal teeth Usually “normal variant”, but can be

associated with certain syndromes: Ellis van Creveld Hallermann-Streiff Jadassohn-Lewandowski

What to do? X-ray Observe Remove if supernumery, feeding problems or

loose

Case #2

‘B’ is A’s twin sister. She has no natal teeth, but mom is concerned about this other bump in her mouth

Other “bumps” in the mouth…

Mucocele

Ranula

Other “bumps” in the mouth…

Other “bumps” in the mouth…

Case #3

‘C’ is a 4 month-old girl who presents because her mother noticed “some white stuff on her tongue”.

What is your differential diagnosis?

White stuff on tongue?

Case #4

‘D’ is a 10 month-old healthy girl presenting for well-child care. Her father complains that she’s been taking less formula and wonders if it’s because she’s teething. She had eruption of her lower central incisors at 6 months. He asks you when she will get her two front teeth?

Normal tooth eruption

Permanent teeth

Case #5

‘E’ is an 18-month old boy with no significant past medical history. He presents with fever to 101.2 x 2 days. He had mild nasal congestion yesterday.

Mom asks if his fever could be due to teething?

Does teething cause fever?

Tighe M et al. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2007;92:266

Study Methods Outcome

Wake et al(Australia, 2000)

Prospective study of 21 infants assessed by staff for teething & temperature

No association between teething and fever

Macknin et al(USA, 2000)

Prospective study of 125 infants assessed by parents for teething & temperature

Fever <38.5 was associated with teething period of +/- 1 day compared to non-teething days

Jaber et al(Israel, 1991)

Prospective study of 46 infants. Temperature assessed by parents. Tooth eruption assessed by staff.

Temperature increase to 37.9 associated with the day of tooth eruption compared to preceeding days

Peretz et al(Colombia, 2003)

Retrospective questionnaire completed by parents of 585 teething children

60% of teething children had fever > 39, but no comparison to fever in control children

Does teething cause fever? Review of the evidence

Mostly poor quality studies, i.e. retrospective or relied on parent report

Two prospective studies found an association between increased temperature and the day of tooth eruption +/- 1 day.

Bottom line Infants with fever > 38.5, or with temperature 38-

38.5 on days other than the day of tooth eruption +/- 1 day should be evaluated for other sources of fever.

Those presenting with low-grade fever (< 38.5) during this window may be monitored conservatively if well appearing.

Tighe M et al. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2007;92:266

Case #6

‘F’ is a 2 year-old girl with mild speech delay. Her mother is concerned that her speech delay is due to her “tongue tie”.

What do you tell her?

Ankyloglossia Prominent lingual

frenulum occurs in ~3-5% of children

Complications may include Feeding

(breastfeeding) difficulties

Articulation problems

Ankyloglossia & speech delay?

Review of the evidence No evidence for ankyloglossia and

speech/language delay

Moderate evidence for moderate-severe ankyloglossia and articulation problems

Lingual frenulum will recede by 6 years of age in majority of children therefore may observe conservatively

Case #7

‘G’ is a healthy 3 year-old boy presenting for WCC. Mom has had trouble getting him to sleep throughout the night b/c he still wakes for his bottle.

On exam you are presented with the following:

Dental caries

Dental caries - Epidemiology The MOST common chronic disease in

children 18% in 2-4 year olds 67% in 12-17 year olds

Higher in certain ethnic groups

Common in < 3 year-olds due to Primary teeth are thinner than permanent teeth Teeth that erupt 1st are less protected by saliva

Dental caries - Pathogenesis

Differential diagnosis of discolored teeth

Extrinsic factors Dyes in foods

(coffee), cigarettes… Medications

(tetracyclines, anticholinergics)

Metals (iron, lead) Trauma

Intrinsic factors Hyperbilirubinemia Poryphyria

Tetracycline discoloration

Dental caries - Management

Remove plaque and decayed teeth

PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION! Oral hygiene Limit substrate (carbohydrates) Fluoride

Prevention – oral hygieneAge Toothbrushing

Recommendations (CDC 2001)

< 1-2 years Parent cleans with cloth or soft toothbrush. No toothpaste

2-6 years Pea-sized amount of fluoride-containing toothpaste twice per dayFloss QdayParent supervises

> 6 years Brush independently twice per day

Preventive – Dental Home Beginning at 6-mo

pediatricians should: Assess mother’s oral

health. Assess oral health risks* Examine mouth/teeth

and recognize signs/symptoms of caries.

Assess child’s exposure to fluoride.

*Send high-risk patients to dentist sooner

Case #7 continued…

Mom asks if this could have been prevented if she had given him a vitamin. Her friend is giving her child supplemental fluoride, but you never prescribed this for her. Why?

Fluoride Anti-cariogenic

Decreases demineralization by (1) combining into & strengthening enamel(2) decreasing production of acid from

bacteria

Present in 2/3 of all US public water supplies (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp) and most toothpastes

Supplement if low fluoride levels in water supply, or child doesn’t drink water

Fluoride supplementation

Case #8

You’re in the ED and are presented with ‘H’, a 5 year-old boy who comes in with his front tooth in a cup of salt water. It fell out when he was hit in the face during a baseball game.

Dental trauma

Were these likely his primary or secondary teeth?

What should you do with the patient? The tooth?

Dental trauma - management Don’t forget to assess for head trauma

Call OMF surgery early

Utility of preserving the avulsed tooth? Avulsed primary teeth should NOT be

reimplanted Avulsed permanent teeth should be re-implanted

STAT (before 15 minutes) or stored in cold milk until they can be restored

Case #9

‘I’ is a 12 year-old girl with no significant past medical history. She sucks her thumb, and her mother is asking your opinion about obtaining braces for the following problem:

Malocclusion

Causes: Hereditary Behaviors (bottles, pacifiers and thumb

sucking esp. beyond 5 yrs.)

Treatment: Mostly cosmetic Orthodontist referral best if early

Case #10

‘J’ is a 14 year-old girl who is preparing for her quinceañera. She asks you whether there is any “downside” to using teeth whiteners, and whether you could recommend a whitening method.

What do you tell her?

Tooth whiteners?

Lee SS et al. Recent review of tooth whitening in

children Conclusions:

30-50% of patients experience gingival irritation (increased in children)

Excessive peroxide exposure can cause pulpal/root damage esp. in < 18 year olds

Whitening during mixed dentition will result in uneven results

Lee SS et al. Pediatric Dentistry. 2005 Sep-Oct;27(5):362-8

References MAIN:

Website AAP Health Topics, Oral Health: www.aap.org/healthtopics/oralhealth.cfm

Preventive Oral Health Intervention for Pediatricians. Pediatrics 2008;122:1387-1394

OTHER: Natal Teeth A Review: J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 Feb. 98(2):226-8 Delayed Tooth Eruption: Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2004

Oct. 126(4):432-45 Fever & Teething: Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2007.

92:266 Ankyloglossia: J Paediatr Child Health 2005 May-Jun. 41(5-

6):246-50 Fluoride content in various water sources:

http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp

The End – SMILE!