From Volume 42, Issue 2, March 2015 | Pages 154-159
This article aims to update the practitioner on the various techniques and interventions available to prevent or control caries during this high-risk period. The evidence to support provision of toothbrushing advice, placement of fissure sealants and fluoride varnish application is considered, along with more novel methods. An evidence-based protocol is suggested to help the practitioner determine when further intervention is required and what action to undertake.
The overall prevalence of caries in permanent teeth of children and young people in the UK has reduced considerably over the past 30 years.1 However, there is no room for complacency as there are still certain groups within the child population, notably those living in social and economic deprivation, who have a high caries experience.2 To put this into context, a staggering 1 in 7 children by 8-years-old, and 1 in 3 children by 12-years-old, have experienced decay in at least one permanent tooth.1 When considering caries risk at a tooth level, the most susceptible site has been identified as the occlusal surface of molars, with teeth most vulnerable to caries initiation during the period of eruption.3,4,5 Therefore, there is considerable scope for dental professionals to intervene to control caries development and the young patient entering a lifelong cycle of needing restorative treatment.6Figure 1 shows a first permanent molar which has become carious. This article explores the scientific rationale behind the treatment options available to dental professionals to protect an erupting tooth in a young patient at risk of caries.
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