Use of asthma drugs and prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization

Abstract

Background: Asthma and molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) are common diseases among children and have been suspected to be associated with each other.

Aim: To examine the association between asthma or the use of asthma drugs and the prevalence of MIH.

Design: In a population-based cross-sectional study, we recorded MIH in 9-year-old children in Aalborg Municipality, Denmark, born in the year 2000. We used a unique 10-digit civil personal number to link data on MIH to population-based medical register data. The exposure was inhaled asthma medication from birth date until date of dental examination. The outcome was the overall prevalence of MIH according to use of asthma medication. Odds ratios (OR) of having MIH were adjusted for gender, use of antibiotics and amoxicillin, maternal smoking, pre- and perinatal complication, and hospital admissions.

Results: We examined 1837 children, of which 542 (29.5%) had one or more molar(s) with MIH. The adjusted odds ratio of having MIH was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.60-1.51) among children with prescriptions of inhaled asthma medication.

Conclusion: In this study, where the results have been adjusted for confounding, we found no association between use of inhaled asthma medication and the prevalence of MIH.

Keywords: anti-asthmatic agents; asthma; child; cross-sectional studies; dental enamel; epidemiology; molar.