Microbial Profile and Dental Caries in Cleft Lip and Palate Babies Between 0 and 3 Years Old

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the microbiological changes in newborn babies with cleft lip palate from birth up to age 3 and to correlate them with their caries levels and mothers' microbiological data and to compare with normal infants. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Prospective. SETTINGS: Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry Clinic, and Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital New Born Clinic. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Cleft lip palate (n = 21) and healthy (n = 13) newborns and their mothers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intraoral samples were taken from babies in each group at least 3 times over the 3 years. Saliva samples of the mothers were collected just after the birth of the babies and examined microbiologically. Dental caries was noted as either present or absent. RESULTS: The most frequent microorganisms were candida, found at birth (n = 9, 42%) in cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP±L) group. The number of babies infected with Lactobacilli were found to be significantly higher in the CP±L group than in the control group at birth ( P = .029) and after eruption of the first primary tooth ( P = .030). Mutans Streptococci were found in 10% of babies with CP±L at birth. Initial caries was identified in 20% of the babies with an oral cleft compared with 0% of the controls after eruption of the first primary incisors. CONCLUSION: The results show that the CP±L babies must be considered as a group with an increased caries risk.