%0 Journal Article
%T Current State of Topical Antimicrobial Therapy in Management of Early Childhood Caries
%A JayaBaarathi Jayabal
%A Ramakrishnan Mahesh
%J ISRN Dentistry
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/762458
%X The treatment of early childhood caries can have a significant economical burden and treatment relapses are frequent. Effective intervention by means of topical antimicrobial agents can reduce the burden of early childhood caries. The main aim in prevention and treatment should focus on inhibition of the growth of oral bacteria. This is a comprehensive review of the literature on the various antimicrobial agents which are proven to be effective in management of this carious progression. The review identified that there is a significant data to suggest use of antimicrobial agents in management of early childhood caries. Antimicrobial agents aid in better management of patients with early carious lesion. The relapse rates are less, when the treatment is combined with the use of antimicrobial agent. 1. Introduction Early childhood caries (ECC) also known as baby bottle caries, baby bottle tooth decay, and bottle rot is a disease characterized by severe decay in the teeth of infants or young children. This begins as soon as the teeth erupts and can rapidly progress to extensive decay of all primary teeth [1]. Frequent consumption of liquids containing fermentable carbohydrates (e.g., milk, formula, juice, soda, etc.) increases the risk of dental caries which results from prolonged contact between sugars in the liquid and cariogenic bacteria in the teeth. Improper feeding practices without appropriate preventive measures can also lead to this distinctive pattern of caries in susceptible infants and toddlers. The microbial flora mainly involved in ECC is S. mutans (MS) [1, 2]. Caries is mainly formed by the accumulation of salivary proteins and adhesive glucans on the enamel surface. Which allow the attachment of S. mutans onto the teeth surfaces. These bacteria produce lactic acid during the carbohydrate metabolism which can cause demineralization of enamel surface and cavitation of tooth surface. With sufficient time, the cariogenic microorganisms in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates can alter the critical pH which can induce demineralization of tooth substance, and progress to loss of tooth structure or cavitations [1¨C3]. The major reservoir from which infants acquire S. mutans is their mothers commonly termed as Window of Infectivity and/or also from other primary caregivers [2, 3]. This period is believed to be during the time that teeth are erupting, from seven or eight months until 36 months. However, a single treatment of mothers with an oral antibacterial may not be sufficient to prevent mutans streptococci transmission and subsequent caries
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.dentistry/2014/762458/