Alterations in the primary teeth of children with microcephaly in Northeast Brazil: A comparative study

Abstract

Background. The outbreak of microcephaly between 2015 and 2017 in Brazil created an international public health emergency. Aim. This study sought to evaluate the chronology, sequence of eruption, and the presence of anomalies amongst children with microcephaly compared with normoreactive children. Design. A comparative study of 108 children aged 0-2 years attending public services was conducted. The microcephaly group (MG; n = 54) and the nonmicrocephaly group (NMG; n = 54) were matched by age, gender, and family income at a 1: 1 ratio. Erupted teeth and the presence of anomalies were evaluated and compared. Chisquare tests, Pearson’s correlations, Fisher’s exact tests, and Student’s t-tests were applied (α = 0.05). Results. No between-group differences were found with regard to gender (P = 0.560) or age (P = 0.529). The MG presented with a higher percentage of alterations in eruption sequence, opacity, self-injury, and delayed eruption compared with the NMG (P < 0.05). The MG was more likely to exhibit changes in tooth eruption sequence (OR = 12.23, 95% CIs = 3.25-46.03, P < 0.001), delayed eruption (OR = 23.12; 95% CIs = 7.09- 75.40, P < 0.001), and opacity (n = 12.19, 95% CIs = 1.44-103.28, P = 0.022) than the NMG. Conclusion. Children with microcephaly present with greater delays in chronology, alterations in eruption sequence, and enamel defects than normoreactive children.