Characteristics and Caries Experience of

A study of the caries experience of children with tetracycline-affected, but not hypoplas-tic, dentitions showed significantly lower DMF surface scores for the complete denti-tion, deciduous molars, and first permanent molars in comparison with paired control dentitions. Tetracycline and fluoride ap-peared to have an additive effect in lowering caries experience. Tetracycline antibiotics administered during the period of tooth formation may become incorporated in developing teeth. ' Depend-ing on dosage,2 period of administration,3 and homologue used,4 affected teeth may show permanent discoloration and variable fluorescence under ultraviolet light.5'6 The antibiotic also has been implicated in the production of dental hypoplasia,"8 although therapeutic doses do not necessarily inter-fere with mineralization.9"l0 It has been suggested that tetracycline incorporation has an effect on caries experi-ence."1 Laboratory studies have shown that the offspring of rats that received tetra-cycline during gestation had significantly lower caries activity than offspring of control rats with no antibiotic treatment.12-14 In human clinical studies the caries experience has been described as increased7,15 or un-altered.16"17 Hamp18 reported that in teeth without enamel hypoplasia, the caries inci-dence "did not differ from usual records." To date, no studies have been designed spe-cifically to investigate this incidence. There