Kumar Prabhat, Verma Gaurav, Barua Pranamee, Singh Satya P, Khan Afshan, Naja Sk Parveen, Gupta Seema
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Dental College Azamgarh, Azamgarh, IND.
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Mithila Minority Dental College and Hospital, Darbhanga, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 3;16(11):e72917. doi: 10.7759/cureus.72917. eCollection 2024 Nov.
Dental caries continues to represent one of the most widespread oral health challenges on a global scale, particularly in adolescents. This cross-sectional investigation examines the impact of demographic, clinical, and preventive factors on caries susceptibility and cavitation in children aged six to 15 years, thereby offering a thorough analysis of risk patterns and preventive strategies.
This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 2,000 schoolchildren, aged six to 15 years. Demographic and clinical data and data on preventive factors were gathered using the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Caries-Risk Assessment Tool (CAT). Based on clinical assessments and self-reported behaviors, participants were classified into high-, medium-, and low-risk groups. Statistical methodologies, including chi-square analyses and odds ratios (OR), were employed to evaluate the significance of the relationships among the variables.
The associations between gender, educational attainment, and caries risk were statistically significant (p = 0.001), demonstrating that females exhibited a greater vulnerability than their male counterparts. Individuals enrolled in higher education levels showed an increased prevalence of high-risk categorization. Notable variations among communities were also observed, with specific demographics presenting a heightened susceptibility to caries. The frequency of tooth brushing, sugar intake, and regular dental examinations exhibited strong correlations with caries risk, whereas cavitation was recorded in 65.50% of the subjects. Key predictors included visible plaque, diminished salivary flow, and use of orthodontic appliances (p = 0.001). Preventive strategies, such as the application of fluoridated products and daily tooth brushing, have been found to significantly mitigate the risk of cavitation.
This investigation emphasizes the complex, multifaceted nature of caries susceptibility, accentuating the critical role of demographic, clinical, and preventive factors.
龋齿仍然是全球范围内最普遍的口腔健康挑战之一，尤其是在青少年中。这项横断面调查研究了人口统计学、临床和预防因素对6至15岁儿童龋齿易感性和龋洞形成的影响，从而对风险模式和预防策略进行了全面分析。
这项前瞻性横断面研究针对2000名6至15岁的学童进行。使用美国儿科学会牙科（AAPD）龋齿风险评估工具（CAT）收集人口统计学和临床数据以及预防因素数据。根据临床评估和自我报告的行为，将参与者分为高风险、中风险和低风险组。采用包括卡方分析和优势比（OR）在内的统计方法来评估变量之间关系的显著性。
性别、教育程度与龋齿风险之间的关联具有统计学意义（p = 0.001），表明女性比男性更容易患龋齿。接受高等教育的个体高风险分类的患病率增加。不同社区之间也观察到显著差异，特定的人口统计学特征显示出更高的龋齿易感性。刷牙频率、糖摄入量和定期牙科检查与龋齿风险密切相关，而65.50%的受试者有龋洞形成。关键预测因素包括可见菌斑、唾液流量减少和使用正畸矫治器（p = 0.001）。已发现诸如使用含氟产品和每日刷牙等预防策略可显著降低龋洞形成的风险。
这项调查强调了龋齿易感性的复杂多面性，突出了人口统计学、临床和预防因素的关键作用。
