Revision with unchanged content. Dental caries is one of the most common
childhood illnesses. The Surgeon General's report in the year 2000
considered the disease to be the single most common chronic childhood
illness, being five times more common than asthma and seven times more
common than hay fever. Dental caries is known to be a multifactorial
disease resulting from the interaction of diet and microorganisms on
tooth structure over time. Other risk factors which have been suggested
but not yet fully understood include early childhood infections and the
intake of certain medications such as antibiotics. These are especially
important because they can estabish a link between the child's medical
and dental health and can be a point of communication between physicians
and dentists. This book examins the relationship between some of the
most common childhood infections including ear and respiratory
infections and the development of dental caries in very young children.
The book is addressed to dentists, pediatricians, dental hygienists and
dental students.