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The epidemiology of root surface caries
1Department of Dental Ecology, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7450.
Journal of Dental Research
|May 1, 1990
Summary
Root caries is prevalent in older adults, despite declining coronal caries in children. Risk factors like age and dental health status require further investigation for effective prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Dental epidemiology
- Geriatric oral health
Background:
- Coronal caries is declining in industrialized nations.
- Root caries prevalence is high, particularly in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the descriptive and analytical epidemiology of root caries.
- To compare prevalence and incidence rates from recent studies.
- To identify risk indicators for root caries.
Main Methods:
- Review of national, regional, and local studies on root caries.
- Analysis of study designs, populations, and diagnostic criteria.
- Examination of multivariate analyses for risk factor identification.
Main Results:
- Prevalence rates of root decay range from 7.3% to 69.7%.
- Incidence attack rates vary from 1.6 to 6.3 per 100/1000 surfaces at risk.
- Potential risk factors include age, fluoride exposure, education, dental service use, coronal caries, attachment loss, and tooth count.
Conclusions:
- Root caries is a significant oral health issue, especially in the elderly.
- Identified risk factors require further validation through more incidence studies.
- Developing effective risk factor models is crucial for managing root caries.