Prevalence and associated factors of erosive tooth wear in Turkish children: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, distribution, and associated factors of erosive tooth wear (ETW) in children aged 8-12 years in Efeler, Aydın.

This cross-sectional study included children aged 8-12 years attending nine public primary and secondary schools in Efeler, Aydın. Intraoral examinations were conducted using a mouth mirror and probe under a light pen. The Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) index was employed to assess ETW. A 23-item questionnaire was administered to evaluate potential etiological factors, including sociodemographic characteristics, personal habits, and consumption of acidic foods and beverages. Descriptive statistics were presented as means and standard deviations. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and logistic regression.

A total of 756 children participated in the study; 48.5% were male and 51.5% were female. The mean age was 9.9 ± 1.4 years. The overall prevalence of ETW was 18.0%, with 16.1% in primary teeth and 1.9% in permanent teeth. ETW was most frequently observed in the upper anterior sextant, while the upper left posterior sextant showed the lowest occurrence. The most severe lesions (BEWE score 3) were recorded in the lower right posterior sextant. In the permanent dentition, mandibular second premolars were most severely affected, whereas in the primary dentition, the right mandibular second molars showed the highest severity. Incisors were the least affected in both dentitions. ETW prevalence was higher in children using asthma medication (30.3%) compared to those without (16.8%) (p = 0.01). No significant association was found between eating habits and ETW prevalence.

ETW was more prevalent in primary teeth and was associated with younger age and asthma medication use.