Prevention of Dental Caries in Children From Birth Through Age 5 Years: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

1. Virginia A. Moyer, MD, MPH 
2. on behalf of the US Preventive Services Task Force
3. 1. DESCRIPTION: Update of the 2004 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on prevention of dental caries in preschool-aged children.
      METHODS: The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on prevention of dental caries by primary care clinicians in children 5 years and younger, focusing on screening for caries, assessment of risk for future caries, and the effectiveness of various interventions that have possible benefits in preventing caries.
      POPULATION: This recommendation applies to children age 5 years and younger.
      RECOMMENDATION: The USPSTF recommends that primary care clinicians prescribe oral fluoride supplementation starting at age 6 months for children whose water supply is deficient in fluoride. (B recommendation) The USPSTF recommends that primary care clinicians apply fluoride varnish to the primary teeth of all infants and children starting at the age of primary tooth eruption. (B recommendation) The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of routine screening examinations for dental caries performed by primary care clinicians in children from birth to age 5 years. (I Statement)

Preventive services for children and adolescents

Wilkinson J, Bass C, Diem S, Gravley A, Harvey L, Maciosek M, McKeon K, Milteer L, Owens J, Rothe P, Snellman L, Solberg L, Vincent P. Preventive services for children and adolescents. Bloomington (MN): Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2013 Sep. 96 p. [229 references] Describe por niveles de evidencia todas las actividades preventivas. Actualizado en septiembre 2013.

Preventing HIV among young people: research priorities for the future.

J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2013 Jul;63 Suppl 2:S155-60. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e31829871fb.
Pettifor A, Bekker LG, Hosek S, DiClemente R, Rosenberg M, Bull SS, Allison S,
Delany-Moretlwe S, Kapogiannis BG, Cowan F; HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 
Adolescent Scientific Committee.

OBJECTIVE: To review the current state of knowledge on the prevention of sexual
transmission of HIV in adolescents and to highlight the existing gaps and
priority areas for future research.
BACKGROUND: A disproportionate burden of HIV infections falls on adolescents, a
developmental stage marked by unique neural, biological, and social transition.
Successful interventions are critical to prevent the spread of HIV in this
vulnerable population.
METHODS: We summarized the current state of research on HIV prevention in
adolescents by providing examples of successful interventions and best practices,
and highlighting current research gaps.
RESULTS: Adolescent interventions fall into 3 main categories: biomedical,
behavioral, and structural. The majority of current research has focused on
individual behavior change, whereas promising biomedical and structural
interventions have been largely understudied in adolescents. Combination
prevention interventions may be particularly valuable to this group.
CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents have unique needs with respect to HIV prevention, and,
thus, interventions should be designed to most effectively reach out to this
population with information and services that will be relevant to them.

PMCID: PMC3746811 [Available on 2014/7/1]
PMID: 23764629  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]