Paediatric Caries Research Program

Research Theme: Diagnosis and Prevention of Oral Disease

Program leader:  Professor W. Kim Seow

Program members:
Academic & Research Staff: Professor Laurence Walsh, Dr Annetta Tsang, Ms Carol Tran, Ms Leah Hobbs
Queensland Health Dental Staff and External Staff: Dr Trevor Holcombe (Director, Logan-Beaudesert District) Dr Bruce Newman, Dr Stephanie Salanitri, Dr Sonali Mistry, Dr Ryan Chiu, Dr Aus Hmud, Assoc Professor Adrian Barnett (QUT, Biostatician)
Research Higher Degree and Postgraduate Students: Ms Kathryn Plonka (PhD), Ms Margaret Pukallus (MPhil), Dr Ryan Shiu (MPhil), Dr Amani Al-Tuwirqi (DClinDent), Dr Gregory Ooi (DClinDent), Dr Stephanie Salanitri (DClinDent), Dr Annetta Tsang (DClinDent)
Concurrent BDSc/MPhil Students: Mr Rongzhen Koh, Ms Alana Evans, Ms Linda Huang 
Honours Students: Mr Jake Samuels, Ms Chau Tang

Program Summary:
The Paediatric Caries Research Program falls under the “Diagnosis & Prevention of Oral Disease” research theme, and has a multi-focus approach to caries research. The research is both clinical and laboratory-based including microbiological investigations. Studies examine strategies for diagnosis, prevention and management in children. Current research projects examine the aetiology and risk factors for early childhood caries, efficacies and cost-benefits of preventive methods, and treatment strategies for prevention and management of caries in children. The research work of the group is undertaken at Queensland Health clinical facilities at Kingston.

Research Focus:
Current research projects focus on the prevention of early childhood caries in a low socioeconomic district of Queensland. Longitudinal studies of children from birth to over five years of age are underway to examine the effects of various preventive strategies on the development of caries. Randomised controlled clinical trials on the effectiveness of various therapeutic agents such as casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and chlorhexidine are being conducted. The clinical investigations have been extended to include studies of twin children, as well as investigations on role of Streptococcus mutans and other dental biofilm bacteria in caries development using real-time PCR techniques. Clinical trials on sealants for prevention of early childhood caries are soon to commence. Studies into new approaches for pulp therapy for the primary dentition are also being conducted.

Funding sources:
We are grateful for generous research funding from the NHMRC, Australian Dental Research Foundation, Dental Board of Queensland and Queensland Health.

Selected Current Publications:
Seow WK. Environmental, maternal and child factors which contribute to early childhood caries: A unifying conceptual model. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (in press).
Plonka KA, Pukallus M, Barnett A, Holcombe TH, Walsh LJ, Seow WK. Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli colonisation in predentate children from the neonatal period to seven months of age. Caries Research (in press).
Plonka KA, Pukallus M, Barnett A, Holcombe TH, Walsh LJ, Seow WK. A controlled, longitudinal study of home visits compared to telephone contacts to prevent early childhood caries. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (in press).
Wong N, Tran C, Pukallus M, Holcombe T, Seow WK. A  3-year, retrospective study of emergency visits at a community oral health clinic for children. Australian Dental Journal (in press).
Plonka KA, Pukallus M, Barnett A, Holcombe TH, Walsh LJ, Seow WK. A randomized controlled clinical trial comparing a remineralizing paste with an antibacterial gel to prevent early childhood caries. Pediatric Dentistry (in press).
Ngo HC, Seow WK. Dental sealants. In Comprehensive preventive dentistry. Limeback H (ed). 2012; Ames, Iowa: Blackwell.
Seow, W. Kim and Taji, Sue. Diagnosis and management of toothwear in children. In Farid Khan and William George Young (Ed.), Toothwear : The ABC of the worn dentition (pp. 16-33), 2011; Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Seow WK, Ford D, Kazoullis S, Holcombe T. Comparison of enamel hypoplasia in the primary and permanent dentition of children from a low fluoride district in Australia. Pediatric Dentistry 2011; 33:547-551.
Taji S, Savage N, Holcombe T, Khan F, Seow WK. Congenital total absence of the major salivary glands. Pediatric Dentistry 2011; 33:113:118.
Townsend GT, Bockmann M, Hughes T, Mihailidis S, Seow WK, Brook A. New approaches to dental anthropology based on the study of twins. International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences, 2011.
Taji S and Seow WK. A literature review of dental erosion in children. Australian Dental Journal 2010; 55: 358–367.
Taji S, Seow WK, Townsend GT, Holcombe T. A controlled study of dental erosion in 2-4 year-old twins. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 400-409.
Taji S, Seow WK, Townsend GT, Holcombe T. Enamel hypoplasia in monozygotic and dizygotic twins compared with singleton controls.  International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2011; 21:175-184.
Barnett A, Plonka K, Seow WK, Wilson LA, Hansen C. Associations between traffic exposure and birth outcomes using a prospective cohort in Australia. Environ Health 2011; 10: 26-37.
Al-Turwirqi A, Holcombe T, Seow WK. A study of dental development in a Caucasian population compared to a non-Caucasian population. European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry 2011; 12: 26-30.
Seow WK. A nutritional program involving home visits may reduce the incidence of early childhood caries, Journal of Evidence-based Dental Practice 2011; 11:60-61.
Wright JT, Torain M, Long K, Seow WK, Crawford P, Aldred MJ, Hart PS, Hart TC Amelogenesis Imperfecta:  Genotype – Phenotype Studies in 71 Families. Cells Tissues Organs 2011;194: 279-283.
Kan W, Seow WK, Holcombe T. A case-control study of dental development of hypodontic and hyperdontic children. Pediatric Dentistry 2010; 32: 127-133.
Kan W, Seow WK, Holcombe T. Taurodontism in children with hypodontia and supernumerary teeth: A controlled study. Pediatric Dentistry 2010; 32: 134-140.
Woodroffe S, Mihailidis S, Hughes T, Bockmann M, Seow WK, Gotjamanos T, Townsend G. Primary tooth emergence in Australian twins: timing, sequence and patterns of asymmetry. Australian Dental Journal 2010; 55: 245–251.

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