Children's untreated decay is positively associated with past caries experience and with current salivary loads of mutans Streptococci; negatively with self-reported maternal iron supplements during pregnancy: a multifactorial analysis.

This study confirms that a child's levels of untreated decay is positively associated with their past caries, and that it correlates with current levels of salivary MS. Children of mothers who reported to have taken iron supplements during pregnancy experienced less caries throughout their lives. These observations confirm the importance to offspring of monitoring maternal health throughout pregnancy and of early monitoring of children's oral health in preventing future dental disease.