Kids' Cavities Probably Not Caused by Bad Genes
by Robert Glisci, DDS, PC on 05/08/19
(Reuters Health) - Environmental factors appear to play a bigger role than genetics in shaping children’s risk for cavities, a study of Australian twins suggests.
Researchers followed 345 twins from 24 weeks’ gestation through six years of age, when they all had dental checkups. At age six, 32 percent of the kids had tooth decay and 24 percent of the children had advanced cavities.
To see how much genetics might shape the risk of cavities, researchers looked at how often both kids got cavities in pairs of identical twins - who have identical genetic variations - and fraternal twins - who typically share about half of their variations.
The risk of both siblings developing any form of tooth decay
or advanced cavities was similar for identical and fraternal pairs, suggesting
that genetics doesn’t explain much of the risk for these oral health problems.
Read more at Reuters Health
