Caries In Permanent Teeth Research Articles

Clinical success of infiltrant and resin sealant on incipient caries of permanent teeth: an integrative review of literature

ABSTRACT Objective: To perform an integrative literature review, presenting techniques to seal incipient caries, their advantages, indications and failures, and comparing their clinical success. Methods: The guiding question for this literature review was: What technique, sealant or resin infiltration, provides longer clinical longevity in sealing incipient caries lesions in permanent teeth? 1707 scientific articles published from 2005 to 2019 were searched in the PubMed, LILACS and SciELO databases, using the following keywords: “caries sealing”, “resinous infiltrant,” and “caries progression”. After their titles and abstracts were read, 10 papers were selected according to the inclusion criteria: papers written in the English language, randomized clinical control trials lasting at least one year, and techniques using infiltration sealing or resin sealant as the treatment method of active carious lesions in occlusal and proximal surfaces of permanent teeth with involvement up to the outer layer of dentin. The Mann-Whitney statistical test was used to compare the techniques (alpha=0.05). Results: Six studies used a split mouth design, and 4 studies had a parallel design, for a total sample of 1316 teeth. The studies achieved a high rate of clinical success in controlling carious lesion progression, with an average rate of 80% for the sealant, and 88% for the infiltrant, and with no statistical difference between the techniques (p-value=0.358). Conclusions: No difference in the clinical efficacy was observed between the resinous sealing and infiltrative resin techniques of incipient lesions in permanent teeth in one to seven years of follow-up.

Эффективность применения композиционного материала при реставрации постоянных зубов у детей

The prevalence, intensity of dental caries and the need for treatment of permanent immature teeth remain high among the child population of the Republic of Belarus. The choice of restorative material and treatment regimen for caries of permanent teeth in children are relevant at the present. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of «Admira Fusion» composite material for the restoration of permanent teeth in children. Material and methods. 143 permanent teeth in 52 children and adolescents (average age 13.4 years) were treated using universal nanohybrid «Admira Fusion» composite. Restorations assessment was carried out in 12 and 24 months according to Ryge criteria. Results. In has found that caries experience of permanent teeth in children and adolescents participating in the study according to the DMFT index is 4.3±1.4, which corresponds to the moderate level of caries intensity. The level of oral hygiene according to the OHI-S index is 0.7±0.1, which is assessed as satisfactory hygiene. It has been analyzed that in children and adolescents 51.05 % caries affected teeth were the first permanent molars (73 teeth) and 27.27 % – the second permanent molars (39 teeth). In 11.89 % of clinical cases caries was detected in the first premolars (17 teeth) and in 9.79 % (14 teeth) – in the incisors of the upper jaw. The analysis of lesions localization on the surfaces of permanent teeth has indicated that in children and adolescents most often in 60.46 % treated teeth caries was detected on the occlusal surfaces (I class by Black). In 27.9 % of the restored teeth, combined lesions of the occlusal and proximal surfaces (Black, class II) were recorded: 11.53 % on the distal-occlusal surfaces and 16.27 % on the medial-occlusal surfaces. Isolated lesions of the medial (14.65 %) and vestibular (6.98 %) surfaces (Black, class V) were noted rarely. It has been found high effectiveness of the proposed treatment using universal nanohybrid material «Admira Fusion» for restoration in two years. 100 % retention of restorations were detected. There were no found complaints of toothache or loss of fillings in 100 % clinical cases. 100 % of the restorations were noted with good edge adaptation and anatomical shape. There were no signs of secondary caries in all clinical cases. Evaluation of the shade adaptation after 2 years has shown that 93.01±2.13 % composite restorations was impossible to recognize without a mirror, and 6.99±2.13 % (10) of the restorations had color deviations in contrast to the tooth tissues, but no more than a change in their shade or transparency which is within the normal color and transparency of the tooth. The color deviations were more often registered in the occlusal-proximal and the occlusal restoration (II Black class, 10.3±4.83 % and Black I class, 5.8±2.51 % accordingly). Color assessment of the filling’ edge after 2 years showed no change in the transition from the restoration to the tooth tissues during visual inspection with a mirror in 89.51±2.56 % of the nanohybrid restorations. Discoloration in the area of the filling-tooth junction not extending in depth was detected in 10.49±2.56 % (15) fillings. Most often, edge discoloration was observed in class II restorations by Black (11 teeth) and less often in class I restorations by Black (4 teeth). The evaluation of the surface quality of the fillings has shown, that 2 years after the treatment, 100 % of the restorations were with a shine and smooth surface, did not require correction or re-treatment, and also had no signs of irritation of the surrounding soft tissues. Conclusion. The use of «Admira Fusion» composite for the restoration of permanent teeth in children provides high clinical efficacy in 89–93 % of clinical cases. Thus, the «Admira Fusion» universal nanohybrid material is characterized by great working properties with good adaptation to the tooth hard tissues, retains its aesthetic characteristics in the oral cavity for 2 years. Convenience in work and technical ability to use any adhesive systems make it the material of choice in pediatric dentistry. Key words: children, caries, permanent teeth, restoration, composite, clinical efficacy.

Oral health problems are global and need to be addressed in the USA

Oral health problems are global and need to be addressed in the USA

Oral health experiences of Turkish children with acute rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease.

Children with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) or using depot-penicillin because of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are prone to the risk of infective endocarditis (IE) and poor oral hygiene. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate oral health experiences of a group of healthy children and a group of children with ARF or who were using depot-penicillin because of RHD (study group). Medical and dental data of 86 children aged between 5-12 years were investigated in this study. Medical histories, decayed, missing, and filled teeth, plaque index, gingival index, toothbrushing frequencies, and the study and healthy groups' socioeconomic levels were recruited and examined. The 'dmft' of the study and healthy groups were found to be 5.51±3.81 and 2.37±2.31, respectively, while the 'DMFT' of the study and healthy groups were 1.71±2.28 and 1.06±1.59, respectively. There was no significant difference between the gingival indexes of the study group 0.89±0.39 and the healthy group 0.62± 1.03 (p=0.112). Nevertheless, the groups significantly differed regarding the plaque index, which were 0.87±0.40 and 0.45±0.41, respectively (p<0.001). The tooth brushing frequencies in the study and healthy groups being twice a day or more were 23.3% and 46.5%, respectively. The children with ARF or using depot-penicillin because of RHD had more permanent and primary tooth caries and poorer oral health than the healthy group in this study.

Global Burden and Inequality of Dental Caries, 1990 to 2019

Previous studies on the global burden of caries primarily focused on simple descriptive statistics. We aimed to characterize the burden, trends, and inequalities of untreated caries of permanent and deciduous teeth from 1990 to 2019 at the global, regional, and national levels through an array of analytic approaches. Estimates of caries burden were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Decomposition analysis was performed to examine the contribution of demographic and epidemiologic factors to the evolving number of prevalent caries cases. In portfolio analysis, the caries epidemiologic profile of each country was categorized by terciles of age-standardized prevalence in 2019 and average annual percentage change from 1990 to 2019. Sociodemographic attribution analysis was performed to reveal the scale of inequality in burden of caries. Age-standardized prevalence of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth decreased 3.6% (95% uncertainty interval, 2.6% to 4.5%) and 3.0% (1.3% to 4.9%), respectively. Population growth was the key driver of the changes in the number of caries cases, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (percentage contribution: 126.6%, permanent teeth; 103.0%, deciduous teeth). Caries prevalence in the permanent dentition was lower in more developed countries, whereas a reverse trend was noted in the deciduous dentition, except for the highest sociodemographic quintile where caries prevalence was the lowest. Globally, 64.6 million (95% CI, 64.4 to 64.9 million) and 62.9 million (62.8 to 63.1 million) prevalent cases of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth were attributable to sociodemographic inequality in 2019. This amounted to 3.2% (3.2% to 3.2%) and 12.1% (12.1% to 12.1%) of the global number of prevalent cases of caries in permanent and deciduous teeth. Burden of dental caries remains a global public health challenge. A systemwide reform of the global oral health care system is needed to tackle the causes of the burden and inequality of dental caries.

Restorative treatment decisions for carious lesions: Do Russian dentists and dental students apply minimal intervention dentistry?

BackgroundThe concept of minimal intervention dentistry (MID) includes both delayed restorative treatment and conservative caries removal, and is now recognised as an evidence-based approach for dental caries management. In order to determine if dental professionals in Russia are incorporating this concept into their clinical practice, we investigated the restorative treatment decisions of Russian dentists and dental students, and the factors associated with these decisions.MethodsWe included 171 general dental practitioners and dental therapists (collectively referred to here as “dentists”) from North-West Russia, and 76 dental undergraduate students from the Northern State Medical University in Arkhangelsk (response rate of 11.5% and 67.9%, respectively). Participants completed a questionnaire, which collected background information (sex, region of work, place of dental school graduation, practice type, years of working experience, working in an urban or rural area, and specialisation in restorative dentistry) and information on restorative treatment decisions for proximal and occlusal carious lesions of permanent teeth. Treatment options in accordance with MID were defined as intervention at dentin level and minimally invasive cavity preparation. Multinomial logistic regression was used for statistical analysis.ResultsFor the proximal carious lesion, 9.4% of participants said they would employ both MID treatment options; 60.7% said they would choose only one; and 29.9% said they would use neither option. For the occlusal carious lesion, the corresponding figures were 37.2%, 52.1%, and 10.7%. No differences in restorative treatment options were observed among general dental practitioners, dental therapists, and dental students. For the proximal carious lesion, dentists from regions outside Arkhangelsk had 4.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–15.27) times higher odds of following one versus both MID treatment options. For the occlusal carious lesion, working experience above 15 years was associated with higher odds of using only one versus both MID treatment options (adjusted odds ratio = 3.04, 95% CI 1.33–6.91). Almost all respondents preferred tooth-coloured materials for restorations; more than 75% chose resin-based composite.ConclusionsThe majority of Russian dentists and dental students do not apply the MID concept when treating dental caries in permanent teeth. Clinical protocols on dental caries treatment and dental school curriculums should be updated to place an enhanced focus on evidence-based practice and preventive strategies. Further studies with larger samples of Russian dentists and dental students and alternative methods of recruitment are needed to validate our results.

The association between low birth weight and dental caries among 11-to-13-year-old school age children in Ningbo, China

BackgroundThe association between low birth weight (LBW) and dental caries is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of LBW with dental caries in permanent teeth in children of Ningbo city.MethodsA total of 1975 children aged 11-to-13 years in Ningbo, China were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. LBW was defined as a birthweight< 2500 g. Ten dentists assessed the status of dental caries in permanent teeth in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and guidelines. Decayed, missing or filled teeth were considered to have dental caries. Parental questionnaires were used to collect child information. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsDental caries in permanent teeth was found in 610 children (30.9%), with a mean DMFS of 2.09 (SD = 1.2). The adjusted ORs for dental caries in permanent teeth was 1.46 (95% CI 1.00, 2.13) for LBW.ConclusionsLBW was not associated with dental caries in permanent teeth in the study population.

Validity of near-infrared light transillumination for the assessment of proximal caries in permanent teeth.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of DIAGNOcam (DC) in diagnosing proximal caries and to compare its effectiveness with the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and bitewing radiography (BWR). 118 premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons were included and examined using three detection methods and validated by histological sections as the gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity and areas under the ROC curve (Az value) at the outer half enamel (D1), inner half enamel (D2) and dentine (D3) thresholds were compared between different methods. At all categories, the specificity of DC was almost as high as ICDAS and BWR. DC showed a significantly higher sensitivity (0.68) than both visual (0.33) and radiographic examination (0.47) at the D1 threshold. DC presented the highest Az value (area under the ROC curve) at the D1 and D2 threshold (0.81, 0.86), while BWR showed the greatest Az values at D3 (0.94). Furthermore, DC had the highest association strength with the gold standard (Spearman's ρ = 0.80). It can be concluded that DC could detect proximal caries effectively and showed comparable or even better performance than ICDAS and BWR.

Diagnostic validity of early proximal caries detection using near-infrared imaging technology on 3D range data of posterior teeth

ObjectivesThis in vitro study analysed potential of early proximal caries detection using 3D range data of teeth consisting of near-infrared reflection images at 850 nm (NIRR).Materials and methodsTwo hundred fifty healthy and carious permanent human teeth were arranged pairwise, examined with bitewing radiography (BWR) and NIRR and validated with micro-computed tomography. NIRR findings were evaluated from buccal, lingual and occlusal (trilateral) views according to yes/no decisions about presence of caries. Reliability assessments included kappa statistics and revealed high agreement for both methods. Statistical analysis included cross tabulation and calculation of sensitivity, specificity and AUC.ResultsUnderestimation of caries was 24.8% for NIRR and 26.4% for BWR. Overestimation was 10.4% for occlusal NIRR and 0% for BWR. Trilateral NIRR had overall accuracy of 64.8%, overestimation of 15.6% and underestimation of 19.6%. NIRR and BWR showed high specificity and low sensitivity for proximal caries detection.ConclusionsNIRR achieved diagnostic results comparable to BWR. Trilateral NIRR assessments overestimated presence of proximal caries, revealing stronger sensitivity for initial caries detection than BWR.Clinical relevanceNIRR provided valid complement to BWR as diagnostic instrument. Investigation from multiple angles did not substantially improve proximal caries detection with NIRR.

A software approach for identifying the effect of dental caries on dentin-enamel junction.

Dental decay is the most prevalent oral disease worldwide since more than 2.4 billion people suffer from caries of permanent teeth. Therefore, any details about its progression into the hard-dental tissues could contribute to unravelling the mechanisms underlying this process. We have analyzed dental tissue sections with and without caries in order to detect structure differences corelating them with clinical aspects observable from the tooth surface. Our working hypothesis was based on finding a link between the process of tertiary dentin laying (as a response to coronal caries) and the subsequent obliteration of dentin tubules. We have selected N=10 extracted teeth with/without coronal caries, resin-embedded and sectioned them. A specific software was used to digitally quantify the density of unobliterated dentin tubules reaching the dentin–enamel junction (DEJ), considering as positive threshold criteria the presence of the odontoblast process inside the analyzed tubule. This study showed the differences between the healthy and carious-affected hard-dental coronal tissues. More odontoblast processes reached the DEJ in unaffected teeth. Using specific software, we have quantified their density decrease near a lesion. We have studied the dynamics of the carious study and measured the consequent structural modifications of the dentin. In conclusion, there is a significant difference between the number of dentin tubules containing odontoblast processes that reach the DEJ in healthy/altered tissues. The tooth reacts not only by production of tertiary dentin to protect the pulp chamber, but also by obliteration of dentin tubules, thus reducing the number of odontoblast processes reaching the DEJ. This pilot study could serve as the starting point in developing a dedicated software that could deliver a personalized pattern for decay progression by analyzing one single tooth and extrapolate the result to all the patient’s remaining ones.

Trends of dental caries in permanent teeth among 12-year-old Chinese children: evidence from five consecutive national surveys between 1995 and 2014

BackgroundDental caries have a serious impact on general health and well-being; however, there is a lack of relevant data on the development trends of dental caries in permanent teeth among 12-year-old children in China. We aim to assess long-term trends of dental caries in permanent teeth among 12-year-old children in China and identify the susceptible subgroups based on five consecutive national surveys from 1995 to 2014.MethodsA total of 88 972 subjects were extracted from five consecutive national surveys (1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014). Standardized dental examinations were conducted and the oral health status of each subject was recorded. The prevalence of Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth (DMF%), mean Decayed, Missing, Filled teeth score (DMFT) and Caries Filling Ratio (CFR) were used as measurement indicators. Cochran–Armitage trend test was used to evaluate the trends in DMF% and CFR, and multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate the trends in DMFT.ResultsA V-shaped fluctuating upward trend in DMF% during 1995–2014 was observed (Z = − 13.124, P < 0.001), and the DMF% in 1995–2014 was 21.1%, 15.9%, 16.2%, 21.9% and 24.3%. The trend in DMFT was approximately consistent with DMF% (β = 0.057, P < 0.001), but the downward volatility appeared in 2014. The DMFT in 1995–2014 was 0.38, 0.28, 0.31, 0.66 and 0.54. A continuously fluctuant trend in CFR was observed during past two decades (Z = 1.927, P > 0.05), and the CFR in 1995–2014 was 17.4%, 22.8%, 19.3%, 23.4% and 15.6%. The DMF% and DMFT of rural children had a larger absolute increase than that of urban children during 1995–2014 (DMF%-urban: Z = − 0.242, P > 0.05; DMF%-rural: Z = − 19.036, P < 0.001; DMFT-urban: β = 0.035, P < 0.001, DMFT-rural: β = 0.077, P < 0.001). The DMF% and DMFT in girls were higher than that in boys at each survey year (P < 0.001). CFR of urban children was higher than that of rural children at each survey year (P < 0.001).ConclusionsOver the past 20 years, DMFT and DMF% of 12-year-old children in China presented V-shaped fluctuant upward trends, with a decline trend from 1995 to 2000 and an upward trend from 2000 to 2014. CFR had no significant improvement. The rural children and girls are the more vulnerable groups in the development of dental caries and need to pay priority. Our study supports the continuation of policies to improve children’ oral health.

The effectiveness of ozone therapy as a non-drug method for treatment of initial caries of permanent teeth in children

Background. It is proved that the use of ozone will contribute to the growth of caries dental resistance, but the question about the adequacy of this method for the complete restoration of the already partly demineralized enamel structure remains controversial. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine the effectiveness of the isolated use of ozone for the treatment of initial caries of permanent teeth in children of different age groups (6, 12 and 15 years old). Materials and me­thods. We have performed treatment of initial caries with Ozone DTA/Ozonymed in 60 patients aged 6 to 15 years. CRT test was used to assess the structural resistance of enamel to the action of the acid factor. The enamel resistance to caries was determined using a modified enamel resistance of teeth test. The statistical processing of the study results was carried out in the Microsoft Excel 2017 software using arithmetic mean, arithmetic mean deviations, Pearson, Spearman and point-biserial correlation coefficients. Results. Results of the initial topographical distribution of caries lesions analysis showed a statistically higher (p ≤ 0.05) frequency of chewing teeth fissure defeat (36.67 %) compared with pathology of another localization. The sites of initial caries in 58.33 % of the examined persons were found on the upper jaw, in 46.67 % — on the lower. There was a decrease in the number of patients with a maximum and high risk of caries progression within a month of treatment — by 3.33 and 5.0 %, respectively. And three months later, the reduction in the number of patients with high risk of caries progression was documented (by 49.98 %). The finding indicate a positive ozone effect in terms of enamel resistance index increasing. However, none of the patients ma­naged to achieve a complete reduction of carious spot, although a significant percentage of examined children noted a decrease in its size to those that statistically differed from the initial ones (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions. Feasibility of non-drug methods of initial caries treatment implementation was justified, however, the effectiveness of isolated ozone use is not enough.

Digital surveillance: The interests in toothache‐related information after the outbreak of COVID‐19

ObjectivesThe aim of this ecological study was to analyze the relationship of social restriction measures and people's interest in searching toothache‐related information on the Internet.Materials and MethodsThe following indicators Stringency Index (SI), Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) for untreated caries in permanent teeth, Google market share, Internet penetration, and relative search volume (RSV) for the Topic "Toothache" in Google Trends were determined for 21 countries with available data, from April 2018 to May 2020. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney U test, t‐Student test, Pearson's Chi‐square test, and Spearman and Pearson's cross‐correlation tests (α = 0.05).ResultsRelative search volume values increased significantly after restriction measures in all countries, except for Japan. Higher RSV values were found among 11 countries that presented a cross‐correlation between RSV and SI with r≥│0.6│. The most common queries were linked to the treatment and self‐resolution of toothache, with a sudden increase of searches that combined the symptom with COVID‐19.ConclusionsThe interests in toothache‐related digital information were associated with social restriction measures. These results allow the identification of dental demands of distinct populations, contributing to the planning of specific public health policies during and after the pandemic period.

Association between sugary drinks consumption and dental caries incidence among Taiwanese schoolchildren with mixed dentition.

Dental caries is a multifactorial disease, and a sugary diet can generate an acidic plaque environment that advances its development. However, the specific effect of sugary drinks on the subsequent oral health of schoolchildren with mixed dentition is unclear. In this study, we investigated the association between the consumption of sugary drinks and 1year incidence rate of caries in permanent teeth among Taiwanese schoolchildren with mixed dentition. A longitudinal 1year follow-up study was conducted among Taiwanese schoolchildren aged 8-9years. A questionnaire collected information regarding the parents' oral health status and their children's demographic background, oral health-related behaviours and consumption habits of sugary drinks, including handmade drinks (specifically bubble tea and pearl milk tea) and carbonated drinks. Dental caries was recorded through standardized oral examinations. The number of dental services received was retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to estimate the association between the consumption of sugary drinks and the incidence rate of caries in permanent teeth after 1year. The study involved 494 children. During the 1year follow-up period, 117 children developed new dental caries in their permanent teeth, yielding a caries incidence rate of 0.183 per person-year. After adjustments for confounding factors, children who preferred having sugar-rich beverages were associated with having a 4.3 times higher (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2-15.7) risk of developing caries than did those who preferred nonsugary drinks (P<.05). Additionally, children who often consumed handmade drinks were associated with having a 1.7 times higher (95% CI=1.1-2.9) risk of developing caries than those who seldom consumed (P<.05). The findings suggest that the consumption of sugary drinks during the mixed dentition stage might be a major etiological factor for caries in permanent teeth. These findings could be valuable to paediatricians, dentists, nutritionists and policymakers.

Examining the causal association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and caries in children and adults: a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach.

Background: Prior observational studies have reported that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with decreased caries risk in children. However, these studies are prone to bias and confounding so do not provide causal inference. Genetic variants associated with a risk factor of interest can be used as proxies, in a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, to test for causal association with an outcome. The objective was to estimate the causal association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (the commonly measured vitamin D metabolite in blood) and dental caries using a two-sample MR approach which estimates the causal effect of an exposure on an outcome. Methods: A total of 79 genetic variants reliably associated with 25(OH)D were identified from genome-wide association studies and used as a proxy measure of 25(OH)D. The association of this proxy measure with three outcome measures was tested; specifically: caries in primary teeth (n=17,035, aged 3-12 years), caries in permanent teeth in childhood and adolescence (n=13,386, aged 6-18 years), and caries severity in adulthood proxied by decayed, missing and filled tooth surfaces (DMFS) counts (n=26,792, aged 18-93 years). Results: The estimated causal effect of a one standard deviation increase in natural log-transformed 25(OH)D could be summarized as an odds ratio of 1.06 (95%CI: 0.81, 1.31; P=0.66) for caries in primary teeth and 1.00 (95%CI: 0.76, 1.23; P=0.97) for caries in permanent teeth in childhood and adolescence. In adults, the estimated casual effect of a one standard deviation increase in natural log-transformed 25(OH)D was 0.31 fewer affected tooth surfaces (95%CI: from 1.81 fewer DMFS to 1.19 more DMFS; P=0.68) Conclusions: The MR-derived effect estimates for these three measures are small in magnitude with wide confidence intervals and do not provide evidence for a causal relationship between 25(OH)D and dental caries.

The prevalence of dental caries and associated factors among secondary school children in rural highland Vietnam

BackgroundTo determine the prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth and identify factors associated with dental caries among secondary school children in rural highland Vietnam.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study that included 1985 secondary schoolchildren. Dental examination was performed at school using World Health Organization criteria. Data collection on demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude, and practices related to dental caries was conducted by interviewing children. Descriptive and inferential statistics using a multivariate logistic regression model were applied.ResultsPrevalence of caries in primary and permanent teeth was 41.1 and 68.9 %, respectively. Prevalence of caries in primary teeth in the age group 11–12 years old (59.4 %) was significantly higher than in children in the age group of 13–14 years (27.8 %; p < 0.01). Factors associated with dental caries in primary teeth were age group of 11–12 years, belonging to the Jarai ethnic group, and having inadequate knowledge or attitude related to dental caries. Factors associated with dental caries in permanent teeth were having insufficient knowledge, attitude, and practices related to dental caries.Conclusions The prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth was high among secondary school children in Vietnam’s rural highlands. It is recommended that interventions focus on younger secondary school children and the Jarai minority ethnic group, and that interventions should emphasize improving knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dental caries.

Examining the causal association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and caries in children and adults: a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach

Background: Prior observational studies have reported that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with decreased caries risk in children. However, these studies are prone to bias and confounding so do not provide causal inference. Genetic variants associated with a risk factor of interest can be used as proxies, in a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, to test for causal association with an outcome. The objective was to estimate the causal association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (the commonly measured vitamin D metabolite in blood) and dental caries using a two-sample MR approach which estimates the causal effect of an exposure on an outcome. Methods: A total of 79 genetic variants reliably associated with 25(OH)D were identified from genome-wide association studies and used as a proxy measure of 25(OH)D. The association of this proxy measure with three outcome measures was tested; specifically: caries in primary teeth (n=17,035, aged 3-12 years), caries in permanent teeth in childhood and adolescence (n=13,386, aged 6-18 years), and caries severity in adulthood proxied by decayed, missing and filled tooth surfaces (DMFS) counts (n=26,792, aged 18-93 years). Results: The estimated causal effect of a one standard deviation increase in natural log-transformed 25(OH)D could be summarized as an odds ratio of 1.06 (95%CI: 0.81, 1.31; P=0.66) for caries in primary teeth and 1.00 (95%CI: 0.76, 1.23; P=0.97) for caries in permanent teeth in childhood and adolescence. In adults, the estimated casual effect of a one standard deviation increase in natural log-transformed 25(OH)D was 0.31 fewer affected tooth surfaces (95%CI: from 1.81 fewer DMFS to 1.19 more DMFS; P=0.68) Conclusions: The MR-derived effect estimates for these three measures are small in magnitude with wide confidence intervals and do not provide evidence for a causal relationship between 25(OH)D and dental caries.

Status of caries in permanent teeth of the adolescent in Ansan city after the suspension of the community water fluoridation program

Status of caries in permanent teeth of the adolescent in Ansan city after the suspension of the community water fluoridation program

Near-infrared reflection at 780 nm for detection of early proximal caries in posterior permanent teeth in vitro.

Objectives:The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of near-infrared reflection at 780 nm (NIRR780nm) for early proximal caries detection on the occlusal, buccal and oral surfaces of molars and premolars under simulated, clinically relevant conditions. The findings were validated by micro-computed tomography (µCT).Methods:Bitewing radiography (BWR) was used as a comparative diagnostic method. 250 sound or decayed permanent teeth were examined using NIRR780nm and BWR. The NIRR780nm findings were evaluated using yes/no decisions depending on the presence of caries lesions, as the enamel-dentin junction was not detectable in the majority of samples. All NIRR780nm, BWR and µCT findings were obtained twice by two trained examiners. NIRR780nm images were evaluated both occlusally alone and combined occlusally, lingually and buccally. All findings were presented in a cross-table. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated. Reliability assessment was performed using κ statistics.Results:Underestimation of caries was observed for NIRR780nm in 26.0% of all surfaces and for BWR in 32.8% of all surfaces. Overestimation was 10.0% for NIRR780nm and 0.4% for BWR. Trilateral NIRR780nm assessment exhibited an overall accuracy of 67.2 %, an underestimation of 13.6% and an overestimation of 19.2%. Trilateral NIRR780nm exhibited 63.0% sensitivity and 69.6% specificity, while BWR exhibited 26.7% sensitivity but 100% specificity for proximal caries detection.Conclusion:NIRR780nm is not suitable for reliable detection of early proximal caries, even with the application of an ideal setup and optimized in vitro conditions.

Association Between the TaqI (rs731236 T&gt;C) Gene Polymorphism and Dental Caries Risk: A Meta-analysis

Objective: This study investigated the association of the TaqI (rs731236 T>C) polymorphism in the VDR gene with dental caries.Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, SinoMed (the Chinese biomedical literature service system), and the Wiley Online Library. Overall comparisons and subgroup analyses based on ethnicity and the presence of dental caries in dentition were performed. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess associations between gene polymorphisms and the risk of dental caries.Results: Seven articles were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results revealed a significant association of the TaqI (rs731236 T>C) polymorphism with dental caries in the allele contrast model (C vs. T: OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.07–1.44, I2 = 42%, p = 0.005) and in the recessive genetic model (CC vs. TT/CT: OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.03–1.84, I2 = 0%, p = 0.03). A stratified analysis based on ethnicity revealed a significant association between the TaqI (rs731236 T>C) polymorphism and the risk of dental caries in Asians (C vs. T: OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.06–1.54, I2 = 60%, p = 0.009). Subgroup analysis based on the presence of dental caries in dentition found a significant association of the TaqI (rs731236 T>C) polymorphism with permanent tooth caries in the allele contrast model (C vs. T: OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.11–1.77, I2 = 76%, p = 0.005) and the recessive genetic model (CC vs. TT/CT: OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.03–2.00, I2 = 0%, p = 0.03).Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that the C allele and CC genotype of the TaqI (rs731236 T>C) polymorphism in the VDR gene are associated with an increased risk of dental caries.