The prevalence and incidence of dental calculus in adults

The occurrence of dental calculus is widespread with various investigators having reported evidence of calculus accumulations in a vast segment of the population. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on both the prevalence and incidence of calculus formation among adults. To determine prevalence, a total of 1,426 adult males and females were graded in Indiana for the presence of calculus using the Volpe-Manhold (VM) Index on the lingual surfaces of the six mandibular teeth. A second panel of 980 subjects was recruited in Texas to determine the incidence of calculus over a six-month period. These latter participants were given a thorough dental prophylaxis, a sufficient supply of a sodium fluoride dentifrice and toothbrushes, and were instructed to use the dentrifrice as they normally do, at least once a day. Six months after the prophylaxis, 804 participants were available and were examined for calculus accumulation using the VM Index. Results from both clinical trials indicate that males have more calculus than females and calculus formation was directly related to age for both sexes. Data are presented regarding the frequency distribution of VM Index scores by sex and age.