Studies in animals, as well as a recent analysis of data from NHANES-III (Moss et al., JAMA 1999), indicate higher rates of dental caries with greater lead exposure. The Children's Amalgam Trial (CAT), a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the health effects of dental amalgam in children, further examined the lead/caries relationship among urban and rural participants. Subjects from urban Boston and rural Maine were ages 6-10, with at least 2 posterior carious teeth and no previous amalgam restorations. Baseline CAT procedures included an assessment of decayed and filled surfaces (dfs) by trained dental examiners and a blood draw. Analyses of these data indicated positive associations between log lead levels and caries rates, as measured by log total dfs (p=0.008) and log primary dfs (p=0.01). It was also found that blood lead levels, collected prior to restorative treatment, varied significantly as a function of urban/rural dwelling (p=0.0001), with higher mean lead levels in the urban (m=2.88 mg/dl, sd=2.01) as compared with the rural (m=1.71 mg/dl, sd=1.00) portion of the sample. To further investigate the lead/caries association, regression analyses were carried out controlling for place of residence (i.e. urban/rural) and other potential confounders (e.g., income, race, and mother's education). The association between mean lead levels and caries persisted even after controlling for these potential confounders (p<0.05). Thus, these data provide additional evidence that the prevalence of caries is associated with children's blood lead levels.
This study is funded by NIDCR Grant Number U01 DE11886
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in the session will recognize, after controlling for confounders, an association between children's blood lead levels and dental caries rates
Keywords: Lead, Oral Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.