Tooth surface loss in adult subjects attending a university dental clinic in Trinidad.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of tooth surface loss (TSL) in a sample of subjects attending a university dental clinic in Trinidad and to investigate the relationship to tooth brushing, medical history, parafunction and dietary habits.

DESIGN

Tooth surface loss was measured clinically by the index used in the 1998 UK, Adult Dental Health Survey.

SETTING

Trinidad, West Indies.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of adult subjects attending The University of the West Indies Dental School Polyclinic, Mount Hope.

METHODS

A questionnaire was administered and tooth surface loss measured clinically.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

mild, moderate and severe tooth surface loss.

RESULTS

155 subjects were examined (mean age 40.6 years) of whom 72% had some degree of TSL with the majority (52%), exhibiting mild, 16% with moderate and 4% with severe TSL. There were associations found between TSL and age (OR=3.14), reflux (OR=1.37), parafunction (OR=1.06), weekly consumption of citrus fruits (OR=1.31) and soft drinks (OR=1.78), daily consumption of alcohol (OR=1.40) and a vegetarian diet (OR=2.79).

CONCLUSIONS

Tooth surface loss in this Trinidadian population group appears to be common. Data supports an association between TSL and age, reflux parafunction and certain dietary patterns.