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Background: Given equivocal findings from existing nationally representative studies, the authors sought to determine associations between vitamin D levels and caries experience in US children using updated National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data., Methods: The authors used data from 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Vitamin D status was assessed on the basis of the sufficiency thresholds of 50 and 75 nmol/L for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) recommended by the Institute of Medicine (now National Academy of Medicine) and Endocrine Society, respectively. Caries experience was defined as the total number of decayed or filled tooth surfaces (dfs) and decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces (DMFS) and a binary measure of any dfs and DMFS. Associations between 25(OH)D and any or total dfs and DMFS were examined in children aged 2 through 5, 6 through 8, 9 through 11, and 12 through 18 years, using multivariable logistic and linear regression models after adjustment for covariates., Results: Children aged 2 through 5 years with 25(OH)D above 75 nmol/L experienced fewer total dfs (β = -1.94; 95% CI, -3.60 to -0.28) than those with 25(OH)D below 75 nmol/L. Children 6 through 8 years with 25(OH)D above 75 nmol/L had lower presence of any dfs (odds ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.95) than those with 25(OH)D below 75 nmol/L, and those with 25(OH)D above 50 nmol/L had lower presence of any DMFS (odds ratio, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.79) than those with 25(OH)D below 50 nmol/L. There were no associations of 25(OH)D status with either any or total DMFS in children 12 through 18 years CONCLUSIONS: There were no consistent associations of 25(OH)D status with caries experience across age groups., Practical Implications: Vitamin D status was not associated consistently with reduced caries experience., (Copyright © 2022 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The authors examined the association between light-polymerized resin-based fluoride-releasing sealants and the development of pit-and-fissure caries on primary molars., Methods: In this 3-year retrospective study, the authors reviewed the dental records of 297 children (1,352 teeth) younger than 6 years who were at high caries risk. Sealant placement or nonplacement on primary molars in the outpatient clinic and operating room setting was recorded, and random-effects logistic regression analysis accounting for the effect of data clustering was performed to measure caries incidence over time., Results: The odds of developing pit-and-fissure carious lesions on sealed primary molars were 0.055 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.011 to 0.285; P = .001) and 0.013 times (95% CI, 0.001 to 0.159; P = .001) the odds of that on nonsealed primary molars in the outpatient clinic and in the operating room, respectively. In molars that became carious, those sealed were associated with longer time to caries development in both the outpatient clinic (2.69 years, 95% CI, 2.08 to 3.29) and operating room (1.97 years, 95% CI, 1.45 to 2.48)., Conclusions: Sealed primary molars were less likely to develop pit-and-fissure caries when placed in both the clinic and operating room settings., Practical Implications: Dental sealants on primary molars should be considered for children at high caries risk., (Copyright © 2019 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The authors sought to determine associations between serum vitamin D levels and dental caries in noninstitutionalized children aged 5 to 12 years in the United States., Methods: The authors used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2006, data to study childhood caries and vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy were defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) less than 30 nanomoles per liter and between 30 and 49 nmol/L, respectively. Associations between vitamin D and caries experience (a combined measure of untreated caries or restorations) were examined after adjustment for confounders using multivariate logistic regression at a critical value of 5%. Sample weights were used to generate nationally representative estimates., Results: The overall prevalence of serum 25(OH)D less than 30 nmol/L and 25(OH)D between 30 and 49 nmol/L among 5- to 12-year-olds was 3% and 16%, respectively. Prevalence of 25(OH)D less than 30 nmol/L and 25(OH)D between 30 and 49 nmol/L among children with caries experience was 2% and 16%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found no significant association between vitamin D and caries experience (P = .78). Furthermore, this association was not significant after adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, ratio of family income to poverty threshold, and sugar consumption (P = .46)., Conclusions: The authors did not find a significant association between 25(OH)D status and caries experience in US children who participated in NHANES, 2005-2006., Practical Implications: The authors' findings do not support existing evidence of an association between caries and vitamin D., (Copyright © 2016 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study assessed the feasibility and ease of use of the Canary System in approximal carious lesion detection in primary molars.Methods: Forty healthy five- to 12-year-olds, who presented to the Center for Pediatric Dentistry in Seattle, Wash., U.S.A., for initial or recall exams, were enrolled. Participants had one to two primary molars, with or without approximal radiographic radiolucencies. Four Canary System scans were performed at the approximal area of each study tooth. The maximum Canary number of the four scans was compared to bitewing radiographs.Results: Seventy-five teeth were included in the final analysis. All study patients easily tolerated being scanned with the Canary System. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Canary System, when compared to bitewing radiographs, was 81 percent and 35 percent, respectively. Among teeth without radiographic radiolucencies, the Canary System identified 65 percent (31 of 48) of study teeth as having carious lesions.Conclusions: The Canary System is a safe approximal caries detection device in five- to 12-year-olds. When compared to bitewing radiographs, the specificity of the Canary System for approximal carious lesion detection in primary molars was low. However, this could indicate that the Canary System is detecting lesions earlier than radiographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]