The relationship between arch, loop and whorl fingerprint patterns with dental caries: A cross-sectional, descriptive institution-based study

Abstract

Fingerprint analysis for personal identification is well-known, as it is unique to all individuals and remains unchanged over a lifetime. Now it is getting identified as a useful tool in understanding the basic questions in genetics and is emerging as an independent field in dentistry as dermatoglyphics. This study is carried out to evaluate the association between dermatoglyphic pattern and dental caries. The present study comprised total 200 individuals (100 male and 100 females) with age of 15 to 40 years, out of which 150 subjects included in group 1(with dental caries) and 50 individuals were included in group 2(without dental caries). DMFT score and fingerprint patterns of all 10 fingers were recorded in to proforma. These findings were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis.Nearly 57.5% of group 1 patients had whorl pattern in their fingers followed by Loop patterns (38.13%) and arch pattern (4.4%). But in caries free group the Loop pattern was more frequent (75%), followed by whorl (21%) and arch patterns (3.6%). There was a significant difference in the distribution of whorl and loop pattern between caries and caries free group (p<0.05). However, the arch pattern was not showing any significant difference in both the groups. The correlation analysis revealed significant negative and positive correlation for Loop and whorl pattern respectively when compared with the DMFT score. But the arch patterns were showing an insignificant negative correlation.An attempt to evaluate the association between fingerprint patterns and DMFT score was made in this present study. An individual's susceptibility to dental caries increases with whorl pattern incidence and decreases with loop pattern incidence. Hence it may be concluded that, fingerprint pattern could indicate a person’s susceptibility to dental caries. This method may be considered as a non-invasive, cost-efficient, time saving method while screening of prevalence of dental caries. Also, it might serve as effective tool in prevention of dental caries.