Comparison of Salivary Protein Profile and Dietary Habits in Children With and Without Early Childhood Caries

Abstract

Background and objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the total salivary protein concentration and dietary habits in Caries-free, Early childhood Caries and Severe Early Childhood Caries children. Materials and methods: The present study included Thirty children who were divided into three groups. They were further divided into Caries-free, Early childhood Caries and Severe Early Childhood Caries with 10 children in each group. Information was collected regarding oral hygiene practices, feeding habits and dietary pattern through a face-to-face interview with the parent/caretaker of the child. Unstimulated saliva was collected and total protein concentration was estimated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relative contributions of dietary and feeding patterns between children with and without ECC. ANOVA was done to identify the difference in mean protein concentration between the groups. Results: Risk factors specific to the ECC group were Breast feeding <24 months (OR 2.1, 95% CI, 0.35-13.0), bottle feeding (21.0, 95% CI, 2.8-15.7), snacking more than 3 times per day (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.283-5.734), consumption of less protein diet (OR 4.1, 95% CI, 1.99-8.81), consumption of less milk products (2.33, 95% CI, 1.67-6.77). Results also revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in total protein concentration between Caries-free, Early childhood Caries and Severe Early Childhood Caries group. Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, we can conclude that, Breast feeding less than 24 months, bottle feeding, snacking more than thrice per day, consuming low protein diet and low milk products had a high risk of developing ECC. There was no significant difference in the mean protein concentration between caries free, ECC and S ECC group.