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Caries Increment (caries + increment)
Selected AbstractsLevel of education and incidence of caries in the elderly: a 5-year follow-up studyGERODONTOLOGY, Issue 3 2005P. Siukosaari Objective:, This study aimed to examine the possible association between level of education and 5-year caries increment in the elderly inhabitants of Helsinki. Background:, Low salivary flow and high numbers of salivary microorganisms are associated with the presence of caries, but cannot predict the increment in caries in the elderly. Materials and methods:, This study group was derived from a population-based Helsinki Aging Study, which consisted of a random sample of elderly born in 1904, 1909 and 1914. The 71 dentate elderly who underwent clinical oral examinations at baseline (1990,91) and 5 years later (1995,96) were included in the study group. Decayed, Missing or Filled Tooth (DMFT) and Root Caries Index (RCI) indexes were used to study subject' caries experience. Data on subjects' education came from questionnaire studies. The subjects were divided into four groups according to their level of education and occupation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate relationships between subjects' caries experience and level of education. Results:, At baseline the elderly with high level of education had more teeth and more root surfaces at risk than those with low level of education. Number of teeth decreased (,1.085, p < 0.0001), while both DMFT (1.164, p < 0.0001) and RCI (0.081, p < 0.0001) indices increased during follow-up. The increments in DMFT and RCI were not directly associated with the level of education. Multivariate analysis in which subjects' gender, number of teeth, level of education, frequency of eating and frequency of brushing were taken into consideration, showed no significant association with caries increment. Conclusions:, Within the limitations of this study it can be concluded that the level of education of the elderly is not directly associated with the increment in caries. [source] Assessment of Dental Caries Predictors in a Seven-year Longitudinal StudyJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 3 2006Elaine Pereira da Silva Tagliaferro DDS Abstract Objective: To identify, in a group of 6,8-year-old schoolchildren, risk factors for dental caries increment in permanent dentition. Methods: Two hundred and six children from three different schools in Piracicaba, Brazil, were examined at baseline and after 7 years by the same two calibrated dentists. Data on dental caries (dmfs, DMFS, presence of initial lesions), fluorosis, oral hygiene and presence of sealant were collected at the clinical examination that was performed in an outdoor setting, under natural light, using a dental mirror and probe following the WHO recommendations. Information on socioeconomic level, fluoride usage, dental service utilization, dietary and oral hygiene habits was also obtained at baseline in a semi-structured questionnaire sent to the parents. The dependent variable was the 7-year DMFS increment. A univariate analysis was performed to test the association of independent variables in caries increment. Then a logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted Odds Ratio for caries increment. Results: Clinical (dmfs, DMFS) and non-clinical variables (daily toothbrushing, use of preventive topical methods, parents' educational level) were entered in the multiple logistic regression analysis. The prediction model included the clinical and socioeconomic variables, DMFS, dmfs and mother's educational level. The best caries predictor was the dmfs variable. Conclusion: Caries experience and mother's educational level were predictors of caries increment in permanent dentition. [source] The impact of changing dental needs on cost savings from fluoridationAUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2010AC Campain Abstract Background:, Although community water fluoridation has been one of the cornerstone strategies for the prevention and control of dental caries, questions are still raised regarding its cost-effectiveness. This study assessed the impact of changing dental needs on the cost savings from community water fluoridation in Australia. Methods:, Net costs were estimated as Costs(programme) minus Costs(averted caries). Averted costs were estimated as the product of caries increment in non-fluoridated community, effectiveness of fluoridation and the cost of a carious surface. Modelling considered four age-cohorts: 6,20, 21,45, 46,65 and 66+ years and three time points 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Cost of a carious surface was estimated by conventional and complex methods. Real discount rates (4, 7 (base) and 10%) were utilized. Results:, With base-case assumptions, the average annual cost savings/person, using Australian dollars at the 2005 level, ranged from $56.41 (1970s) to $17.75 (1990s) (conventional method) and from $249.45 (1970s) to $69.86 (1990s) (complex method). Under worst-case assumptions fluoridation remained cost-effective with cost savings ranging from $24.15 (1970s) to $3.87 (1990s) (conventional method) and $107.85 (1970s) and $24.53 (1990s) (complex method). For 66+ years cohort (1990s) fluoridation did not show a cost saving, but costs/person were marginal. Conclusions:, Community water fluoridation remains a cost-effective preventive measure in Australia. [source] Prospective study of 5-year caries increment among children receiving comprehensive dental care in the New England children's amalgam trialCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Nancy Nairi Maserejian Abstract,,, Objective:, To measure the 5-year caries increment among high-risk children during their participation in the New England Children's Amalgam Trial (NECAT), and to evaluate sociodemographic factors that may account for any observed disparities. Methods:, NECAT recruited 534 children aged 6,10 with at least two decayed posterior occlusal surfaces from urban Boston and rural Maine. After restoration of baseline caries and application of sealants to sound surfaces, NECAT continued to provide free comprehensive semiannual dental care to participants. The net caries increment of children who completed the 5-year follow-up (n = 429) was calculated and predictors of caries increment were investigated using multivariate negative binomial models. Results:, The majority of children (89%) experienced new caries by the end of the 5-year follow-up. Almost half (45%) had at least one newly decayed surface by the first annual visit. At year 5, the mean number of new decayed teeth was 4.5 ± 3.6 (range 0,25) and surfaces was 6.9 ± 6.5 (range 0,48). Time trends showed a noticeably higher increment rate among older children and young teenagers. Multivariate models showed that age (P < 0.001), number of baseline carious surfaces (P < 0.001), and toothbrushing frequency (<1/day versus ,2/day, P = 0.04) were associated with caries increment. Only 48 children (11%) did not develop new caries. Conclusions:, Despite the receipt of comprehensive semiannual dental care, the vast majority of these high-risk children continued to develop new caries within 5 years. While disparities were observed by age, extent of prior decay, and toothbrushing frequency, no other sociodemographic factors were associated with caries increment, suggesting that the dental care provided during the trial reduced sociodemographic disparities in prior caries experience that were observed at baseline. [source] Caries risk factors in the permanent dentition of Tanzanian children: a cohort study (1997,2003)COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007Flemming Scheutz Abstract Objective:, The aims of the cohort study were to study the association between permanent dentition caries and malnutrition and other risk factors or indicators in a group of children with little or no access to restorative and preventive dental care. Methods:, The study was conducted at two primary schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in the period 1997,2003. One school recruits its children from affluent families and the other school is attended by the children of poor families. The children attended grade 1 at the first examination and had a mean age of 7.6 years (SD = 0.4); when the study was completed, the mean age was 13.3 years. Two-hundred and eighteen children examined in 1997 were re-examined in 1999; 147 of the children were examined in 1997 as well as in 2003, and 122 children were examined in all three years. An age- and sex-based body mass index (BMI) was computed to determine the nutritional status of each child. Each year, the same standard methods were used to determine the count of lactobacilli and mutans streptococci, stimulated flow rate and buffering capacity of saliva, and caries. Risk ratios were computed with generalized linear models using the tooth as the unit of analysis. Results:, Mean annual caries increment was 0.27 in the period 1997,1999 and 0.80 in the period 1999,2003 with most children developing no caries at all. Malnutrition at baseline in 1997 was insignificantly predictive for the development of caries, whereas a low stimulated flow rate of saliva (,0.7 ml/min) and a high count of lactobacilli (,100 000/ml) at baseline in 1997 were significantly associated. However, the generalized linear models for the two time periods 1997,1999 and 1999,2003 presented a confusing picture with different risk ratios and without consistency of the associations between the exposure variables and the development of caries. In accordance with this finding, the consistency of the exposure variables over time for the individuals was very low. Conclusions:, The results were inconclusive and left us with more questions than answers. The findings do, however, support the view that our methods for predicting caries are inappropriate or nonexistent. [source] For debate: problems with the DMF index pertinent to dental caries data analysisCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 6 2005J. M. Broadbent Abstract , The Decayed, Missing, Filled (DMF) index has been used for over 50 years and is well established as the key measure of caries experience in dental epidemiology. Despite its long history of use, there is debate about the most appropriate number of surfaces to include for a missing tooth. Assigning the maximum possible value for the ,M' component of DMFS (Surfaces) leads to overestimation of an individual's caries experience, and in any associated comparisons of in-caries experience, whereas assigning the minimum possible value for the ,M' component has the opposite effect. Alternative methods of assigning the number of caries-affected surfaces for an extracted tooth are considered. The net caries increment and adjusted caries increment (common methods of correction of the crude increment measure for reversals) are discussed, along with incidence density, a measure of caries extent. Problems exist with the adjusted caries increment, particularly among cohorts with low mean baseline caries experience. Development of an alternative method of estimating the relationship of ,true' and ,examiner' reversals is advocated, as well as greater utilization of incidence density in dental epidemiology. [source] Validation of a Swiss method of caries prediction in Dutch childrenCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 5 2001Wim H. Van Palenstein Helderman Abstract ,Objective: This study aimed to validate a caries prediction method, the Dentoprog-Method, which was developed on Swiss children. Method: A Dutch child population was used for validation. The diagnosis of caries, age of the children and the caries experience were slightly different from the population from which the Dentoprog-Method was developed. With the Dentoprog-Method, Dutch children were ranked in increasing order of high caries risk probability. The measure of prediction was expressed in sensitivity and specificity, which were calculated at 10% risk probability intervals for each class of "high" caries increment and for different forecast periods. ROC curves presenting sensitivity as a function of (100-specificity) were employed to summarize the obtained information. The area under the ROC curve was used as a measure of predictive accuracy. Results: The area under the ROC curves for various caries increment classes of 7.5-year-old and 9.5-year-old Dutch children was in the range of the area under the ROC curves of Swiss children. Conclusion: This analysis indicated that the Dentoprog-Method when applied on a sample of Dutch children was robust enough to overcome small differences in caries diagnosis, age and caries experience. [source] Effectiveness of an oral health education programme in primary schools in Zimbabwe after 3.5 yearsCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Jo E. Frencken Abstract , Many medical and dental professionals in African nations believe that school teachers, through attendance of a short workshop, can be trained to provide oral health education. This increases the number of professionals available and is regarded as an important way forward in improving oral health. Objectives: The current study assesses the effectiveness of an oral health education programme administered by schoolteachers in a district in Zimbabwe over a period of 3.5 years. Methods: The experimental group consisted of schools that had sent representatives to a regional workshop on oral health held in 1992. The control group was selected at random from schools not having attended the workshop. A total number of 439 boys and 526 girls were examined in 1992. Follow-up evaluations were carried out in 1993, 1994 and 1996. The dependent variables were plaque accumulation and caries increment in grade 2 and grade 4 children of experimental and control schools. Results: ANOVA test with year of evaluation (1992,94), experiment/control school, age and gender as independent variables showed no statistically significant difference in mean plaque scores in longitudinally examined original grade 2 (P>0.20) and grade 4 children (P=0.06) from experimental and control schools. The mean caries increment score in the experimental and control schools was 0.04 and 0.19, respectively. ANOVA test with fluoride levels and gender as independent variables on caries increment in experimental and control schools did not show a statistically significant difference (P=0.06). Conclusion: The one-time training of teachers in aspects of oral health was ineffective in lowering plaque levels over a period of 3.5 years. Considering the low caries increment observed over the study period, the effect of the oral health programme on caries levels in the study group was inconclusive. [source] Oral health of Adelaide nursing home residents: longitudinal studyAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 2 2004JM Chalmers Objective: The Adelaide Dental Study of Nursing Homes aimed to quantify oral disease experience, incidence and increments in Adelaide nursing home residents. Methods: Questionnaires and dental inspections were completed at baseline and at 1-year for residents from randomly selected Adelaide nursing homes. Results: The residents were very functionally dependent, cognitively impaired and behaviourally difficult older adults with complex oral problems and dental treatment needs. The prevalence of edentulism (total tooth loss) (63%) decreased and more residents were retaining natural teeth. Existing residents had a mean of 10.8 teeth present and new residents had a mean of 12.7 teeth present. Residents' previous experiences of caries (decay) were high , existing residents had a mean of 1.2 decayed teeth and new residents had a mean of 0.8 decayed teeth. Residents' caries increments (new decay) over the 1-year period were high (coronal = 2.5 surfaces; root = 1.0 surfaces), especially in those who had lost weight and who could eat fewer food types. These levels of caries were many times greater than had been reported for community-dwelling older adults. Large accumulations of plaque, calculus and debris (food) were evident on residents' natural teeth and dentures, especially those with dementia. Up to 25% of residents owned dentures that were not worn. Residents with dementia gave their carers complex and challenging oral hygiene care problems. Existing and new residents had similar general health and oral health characteristics, with the exceptions that new residents had significantly more filled tooth surfaces, and fewer decayed retained roots. Conclusion: New residents were being admitted to the nursing homes with a compromised oral health status or developed severe oral diseases and conditions within several months of their admittance. Residents' oral diseases, especially coronal and root caries, rapidly progressed during their stay in residential care. [source] Caries incidence in permanent first molars after discontinuation of a school-based chlorhexidine-thymol varnish programCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Pilar Baca Abstract , Objectives: To determine whether the cessation for 3 years of a 24-month program of chlorhexidine-thymol varnish applications would affect caries incidence in the first permanent molars of a population of schoolchildren of middle and lower-middle socioeconomic level. Methods: Two groups of 6,7-year-old schoolchildren, randomized by school-class, were followed up in a clinical trial. One group received applications of chlorhexidine-thymol varnish every 3 months and the other group acted as controls. The program ended after 24 months and its effects were evaluated. Three years later, 55.5% of the schoolchildren were re-examined and the caries increments were documented. Results: At the end of the 24-month program, the treated children had significantly fewer decayed and filled surfaces in permanent molars (lower DFS index) versus the controls. At 3 years after the discontinuation of the program, this difference had disappeared; there were no differences in the incidence of decayed, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS) index in permanent molars between the treated children and the controls. Conclusion: The cessation for 3 years of a 3-month program of chlorhexidine-thymol varnish applications resulted in a nonsignificant increase in the prevalence of dental caries in the permanent first molar. [source] |