Objective: To evaluate oral hygiene habits, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and surfaces (DMFS), dental care, dietetic habits and anti-Streptococcus mutans salivary secretory Immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in young adults who attended a preventive programme during preschool age.
Material and methods: The study group (Baby Clinic) comprised 72 patients, aged 18-25 years, who had participated in the Baby Clinic preventive programme. The control group was age- and gender-matched. The patients were examined and unstimulated whole saliva was sampled for detection of anti-S. mutansSIgA antibodies.
Results: Control patients presented increased DMFS scores (P < .05). Hygiene habits, cariogenic diet and antibody levels were not different between groups (P > .05). Baby Clinic patients presented better periodontal status (P < .005), less calculus (P < .005) and bleeding on probing (P < .005), and reported visiting dental services more regularly (P < .05). Adjusted multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that DMFT was associated with study group (P < .05), gender (P < .05), parents' education (P < .05), carbohydrate intake (P < .001) and levels of anti-S. mutansSIgA (P < .007). DMFS was associated with time elapsed since the last visit to the dentist (P < .005) and weekly carbohydrate intake (P < .005).
Conclusion: Preventive programmes for preschool children positively impact on DMFS and periodontal status in young adults, but have no long-term effects on dietary or hygiene habits.
Keywords: attitudes; caries; collective; oral hygiene; prevention individual; saliva.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.