Impact of Perinatal Risk Factors on Developmental defect of enamel and Dental caries in Primary Teeth of High-Risk Infants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: Developmental defect of enamel (DDE) frequently occurs in preterm infants (< 37 weeks) and with low birth weight (< 2500 grams). Children with enamel hypoplasia have a high risk of developing dental caries. Hence the current study aims to assess the influence of various perinatal risk factors on the prevalence and severity of DDE and dental caries in the primary teeth of high-risk infants. Methods: The study with a sample of 240 high-risk children (aged 18 to 48 months) was a cross-sectional analysis aimed at assessing the prevalence and severity of DDE in the primary teeth of high-risk infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care centre. Oral examination were done at follow-up. Results: The mean chronological age was 29.48 ± 6.7 months. 112 (46.67%) children were preterm, and 105 (43.75%) had a birth weight of <2500 grams. The prevalence of DDE and dental caries was 32.1 % and 16.31%, respectively. DDE was significantly associated with Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) (p = 0.014; OR = 5.33). Dental caries was commonly associated with maternal Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH) (p = 0.032; OR = 2.4) and endotracheal intubation (p = 0.042; OR = 3.13). Conclusion: Dental caries and DDE are common in high-risk children. DDE might serve to be a valuable predictor for early risk assessment of dental caries. Consequently, early preventive measures and interventions could be implemented to prevent early childhood caries.