Is there a relationship between birthweight and subsequent growth on the development of dental caries at 5 years of age? A cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between childhood growth and the presence of dental caries at age 5. METHODS: Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) a population-based, prospective cohort study were used. We enrolled 14,541 pregnancies, and a 10% sample of these were dentally examined and measured at 61 months of age. Birthweight was obtained from medical records, and birth length and birthweight were assessed by trained ALSPAC measurers. A number of social and lifestyle factors were treated as potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Of 985, children, 242 (24.6%) had caries at 61 months of age. After adjustment, increased weight at birth was associated with a small increased risk of caries at 61 months (OR: 1.08 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.13) per 100 g increase, P = 0.002). A similar association was noted with respect to increased length at birth. Current weight and height did not appear to be associated with caries risk. Children who had caries at 61 months had slower increases in weight and height between birth and 61 months than those without decay at 61 months. CONCLUSIONS: The weak associations we have demonstrated between weight and length at birth and risk of caries at age 61 months cannot be considered causal, however, the relationship between the two variables warrants further investigation.