AIM: To study the relationship between early childhood caries and perinatal and metabolic risk factors in a cohort of preschool children.

METHODS: The study population consisted of 208 children followed from birth to 6.5 years. We extracted the perinatal factors from medical records and questionnaires and assessed the occurrence of caries at the age of 5 years. Indicators of the metabolic syndrome (waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting insulin, glucose and dyslipidaemia) were recorded at 6.5 years of age.

RESULTS: Infants born moderately to late preterm and infants born small for gestational age were more likely to have early childhood caries at 5 years of age (relative risk 4.2 and 2.3, respectively; P < .05). The presence of metabolic risk factors according to the IDEFICS monitoring levels did not differ between children with or without caries but a statistically significant correlation was found between the fasting glucose values and the number of decayed or filled teeth (r = 0.18; P < .05).

CONCLUSION: Being born preterm or small for gestational age increased the risk of early childhood caries. Preschool children with caries had higher fasting glucose levels but no other signs of the metabolic syndrome.