A Simplified CAMBRA-Based Diagnostic Caries Risk Assessment Tool for Young Adults: Development and Clinical...

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Oral Epidemiology
• Preventive Dentistry

Background:

• Young adulthood presents lifestyle shifts impacting oral health and caries risk.
• Comprehensive caries risk assessment tools are often impractical in routine dental settings.
• Simplified screening tools are needed for efficient caries risk evaluation in young adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and clinically validate a simplified, questionnaire-based caries risk assessment tool for young adults.
• The tool is derived from the CAMBRA (Caries Management By Risk Assessment) framework.
• It aims for rapid risk stratification using only questionnaire data.

Main Methods:

• An observational cross-sectional study involved 246 Romanian young adults (aged 18-25).
• A questionnaire-based instrument was used for caries risk assessment, excluding radiographic or lab tests.
• Internal consistency, reliability, and validity were assessed against clinical indicators like DMFT, enamel changes, plaque, and active caries.

Main Results:

• The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.71) and good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.82).
• Higher caries risk scores correlated significantly with increased DMFT, early enamel changes, plaque, and active caries (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• The simplified CAMBRA-based questionnaire is a reliable and clinically relevant tool for young adults.
• This tool can serve as a practical screening and decision-support system for risk-based caries prevention.
• It is suitable for routine and community dental practice settings.