TITLE:
High birth weight is a risk factor of dental caries increment during adolescence in Sweden
AUTHORS:
Annika Julihn, Ulrika Molund, Emma Drevsäter, Thomas Modéer
KEYWORDS:
Adolescents; Birth Weight; Cohort Study; Dental Caries; Longitudinal Study; Predictor; Risk Assessment; Risk Factor
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Stomatology,
Vol.3 No.9A,
December
4,
2013
ABSTRACT:
This study aimed to assess whether birth weight is
associated with dental caries during the teenage period. In this
register-based cohort study, all children of 13 yrs of age (n = 18,142) who resided in the county of Stockholm, Sweden, in 2000
were included. The cohort was followed until individuals were 19
yrs of age. Information regarding dental caries was collected from the Public
Health Care Administration in Stockholm. Data concerning prenatal and perinatal
factors and parental socio-demographic determinants were collected from the
Swedish Medical Birth Register and National Registers at Statistics Sweden.
The final logistic regression model showed that birth weight (≥4000 g),
adjusted for potential confounders, was significantly associated with caries
increment (DMFT ≥ 1) between 13 and 19 yrs of age (OR: 1.29, 95% CI = 1.13 - 1.48).
The relatively enhanced risk OR was further increased from 1.29 to 1.52 in sub-
jects with birth weight (≥4600 g). On the contrary, subjects with birth weight
(