[Assessment of caries risk in a population of age 6-20, from Bacau, Romania]

The Cariogram is a new concept that illustrates graphically the individual caries risk profile. Aim of this study was to assess the young population from Bacau by means of the Cariogram.

Data were collected from 273 subjects by clinical examination, health questionnaires and saliva sampling. The caries risk of each individual, was obtained using the Cariogram model.

High risk factors for the development of caries are the oral hygiene, carbohydrate nutrition, the viscosity of the saliva, the buffer capacity and the incidence of caries. The group with the high caries risk was the 15-20 year group, chi2 = 48.22; p < 0.01. Past caries experience, at 6 and 12 years the DMFT index was 0.9 and 2.99; at 20 years was higher--5. Moderate risk children were using fluoride products in 87,6% of cases, and the group with high caries risk only 3.7%. The buffer capacity was weak in high caries risk children an normal in the other two groups (chi2 = 209.9; p < 0.01). The Streptococcus mutans counts was found 99.2% in saliva of the high caries risk children. The low risk group had restrictions on the intake of carbohydrates with the main meals in 89,3% of cases. Streptococcus mutans counts, fluoridation programme and buffer capacity of the saliva showed significant correlation with the caries risk.

Cariogram is useful educational programme in universities and also in dental clinics.