Donald L Chi1, Joel H Berg, Amy S Kim, JoAnna Scott. 1. Department of Oral Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Box 357475, Seattle, Wash. 98195, USA. dchi@uw.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The authors examined the correlates of root caries experience for middle-aged adults (aged 45-64 years) and older adults (65 years and older) to test the hypothesis that the factors related to root caries are different for middle-aged adults than they are for older adults. METHODS: The authors conducted an observational cross-sectional study that focused on adult patients aged 45 to 97 years recruited from the Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry research network (N = 775). The outcome variable was any root caries experience (no/yes). The authors hypothesized that sociodemographic, intra- oral and behavioral factors were root caries correlates. The authors used Poisson regression models to generate overall and age-stratified prevalence ratios (PRs) of root caries, and they used generalized estimating equations to account for practice-level clustering of participants. RESULTS: A total of 19.6 percent of adults had any root caries. A dentist's assessment that the patient was at high risk of developing any caries was associated with greater prevalence of root caries experience in both middle-aged adults (PR, 2.70; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.63-4.46) and older adults (PR, 1.87; 95 percent CI, 1.19-2.95). The following factors were associated significantly with increased root caries prevalence but only for middle-aged adults: male sex (P = .02), self-reported dry mouth (P < .001), exposed roots (P = .03) and increased frequency of eating or drinking between meals (P = .03). No other covariates were related to root caries experience for older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Within a practice-based research network, the factors associated with root caries experience were different for middle-aged adults than they were for older adults. Research is needed to identify relevant root caries correlates for adults 65 years and older. Practical Implications. Interventions aimed at preventing root caries are likely to be different for middle-aged adults than for older adults. Dentists should use root caries prevention programs that address appropriate aged-based risk factors.
BACKGROUND: The authors examined the correlates of root caries experience for middle-aged adults (aged 45-64 years) and older adults (65 years and older) to test the hypothesis that the factors related to root caries are different for middle-aged adults than they are for older adults. METHODS: The authors conducted an observational cross-sectional study that focused on adult patients aged 45 to 97 years recruited from the Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry research network (N = 775). The outcome variable was any root caries experience (no/yes). The authors hypothesized that sociodemographic, intra- oral and behavioral factors were root caries correlates. The authors used Poisson regression models to generate overall and age-stratified prevalence ratios (PRs) of root caries, and they used generalized estimating equations to account for practice-level clustering of participants. RESULTS: A total of 19.6 percent of adults had any root caries. A dentist's assessment that the patient was at high risk of developing any caries was associated with greater prevalence of root caries experience in both middle-aged adults (PR, 2.70; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.63-4.46) and older adults (PR, 1.87; 95 percent CI, 1.19-2.95). The following factors were associated significantly with increased root caries prevalence but only for middle-aged adults: male sex (P = .02), self-reported dry mouth (P < .001), exposed roots (P = .03) and increased frequency of eating or drinking between meals (P = .03). No other covariates were related to root caries experience for older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Within a practice-based research network, the factors associated with root caries experience were different for middle-aged adults than they were for older adults. Research is needed to identify relevant root caries correlates for adults 65 years and older. Practical Implications. Interventions aimed at preventing root caries are likely to be different for middle-aged adults than for older adults. Dentists should use root caries prevention programs that address appropriate aged-based risk factors.
Authors: Amid I Ismail; Nigel B Pitts; Marisol Tellez; Avijit Banerjee; Christopher Deery; Gail Douglas; Hafstein Eggertsson; Kim Ekstrand; Roger Ellwood; Juliana Gomez; Anahita Jablonski-Momeni; Justine Kolker; Christopher Longbottom; David Manton; Stefania Martignon; Michael McGrady; Peter Rechmann; David Ricketts; Woosung Sohn; Van Thompson; Svante Twetman; Robert Weyant; Mark Wolff; Andrea Zandona Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2015-09-15 Impact factor: 2.757
Authors: C Saura-Moreno; M-V Cortés-Arcas; A Fernández-Meseguer; E Calvo-Bonacho; J-C Llodra-Calvo Journal: Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal Date: 2017-09-01