title: Analysis of possible factors influencing the occurrence of occlusal tooth wear in a young Saudi population.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to attempt to correlate possible etiologic factors with the occurrence of occlusal tooth wear in a young Saudi population. The material comprised 90 individuals with a mean age of 22 years within a range of 19-25 years. A dentition wear index, in addition to anterior and posterior wear subindices were derived from tooth-by-tooth evaluations of casts. Factors found to correlate significantly with increased occlusal wear were bruxism, biting habits such as pen- and nail-biting, use of an indigenous chewing-stick called miswak, and high intake of fruit juices. There was no correlation between subjects from differing geographic and/or climatic habitats and the severity of tooth wear. The common element of a harsh desert terrain may constitute the dominant passive abrasive etiologic factor in the present sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fareed
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Omar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000473:pathology; D002012:Bruxism / Q000150:complications; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009259:Nail Biting / Q000009:adverse effects; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000295:instrumentation; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology