March 2007

Objective: To evaluate the cumulative incidence of enamel defects (ED) and its correlation with life course events such as malnutrition and pre- and postnatal infections, in a cohort of children of low socioeconomic status. Methods: The children were registered at birth and examined from 12 to 36 months of age. At the baseline, 246 were examined and in the follow-up, 228. The teeth were examined under natural light and dried with gauze. ED was determined by the DDE index. Results: Results show that gender was not significant. The cumulative incidence of ED at the last recall examination was 78.9%. The most prevalent type of defect was diffuse opacity, present on the gingival half of the buccal surface (p<0.001). For logistic regression analysis maternal infections, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), malnutrition and postnatal infections were selected as predictor variables for the occurrence of enamel defects. Conclusions: The results indicate that life course events such as undernutrition and childhood infections during teeth development may be associated with enamel defects in socioeconomically underprivileged communities and may compromise the oral health-related quality of life. Key words: Enamel defects; life course; longitudinal study, primary dentition