Root caries and risk profiles using the Cariogram in different periodontal disease severity groups

Area of Science:

• Oral health research
• Dental epidemiology
• Caries risk assessment

Background:

• Periodontal disease is a significant oral health concern.
• Root caries is a prevalent issue, particularly in older adults and those with periodontal disease.
• Accurate caries risk assessment is crucial for preventive strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate root caries and caries risk profiles using the Cariogram model.
• To correlate these findings with periodontal disease severity.
• To identify key indicators associated with high caries risk.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 112 periodontal patients in Saudi Arabia.
• Data collection included questionnaires, radiographs, salivary tests, microbial analysis, and periodontal assessment.
• Caries risk profiles were determined using the Cariogram model.

Main Results:

• 17% prevalence of root caries (RDFT) and 22% high caries risk (Chance-AC ≤ 40%).
• No significant difference in root lesions or Cariogram scores across periodontal disease severity groups.
• Key risk indicators for high caries risk included infrequent fluoride use and unfavorable salivary/microbial parameters.

Conclusions:

• Root caries and high caries risk are common in patients seeking periodontal care.
• Multiple risk indicators, not single factors, contribute to elevated caries risk.
• Caries risk and profiles showed no significant correlation with periodontal disease severity.