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Early Childhood Caries: Article Analysis

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This paper explores one published article reporting the findings of a 2011 xylitol toothpaste trial on preventing early childhood caries. Examining four Head Start classrooms residing in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on Majuro Atoll. The Washington Institutional Review Board granted acquiescence to the Ministry of Health to commence the trial as requisitioned. The Ministry of Health worked with the children four to five years of age of the Marshall Islands enrolled in Head Start during the school year of the trial. During the introductory census at the commencement of the school year 196 children enrolled and received a baseline caries exam. However, by the end of the trial, only 168 children accepted a caries exam and of those 145 children …show more content…

Accordingly, the Washington Institutional Review Board granted the Ministry of Health acquiescence to commence the trial as requisitioned. The Ministry of Health worked with the children there from ages four to five enrolled in Head Start during the school year of the trial. During the initial census at the beginning of the school year there were 196 children enrolled who received a baseline caries …show more content…

However, brushing with a low strength toothpaste with the combination of xylitol and fluoride in a high caries risk populace was not shown to be any more influential in eliminating early childhood caries, than a fluoride only toothpaste. However, it is important to remember that the results were definitely altered due to noncompliance. As a result, the findings of the xylitol toothpaste trial prevail to remain inconclusive. Consequentially, the benefits of xylitol toothpaste are not substantial enough for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAPD) to endorse its use over fluoride toothpaste to high caries risk

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