title: Association between root caries occurrence and periodontal state.
abstract: To analyze the occurrence of root caries in relation to the periodontal state, we examined clinically a representative sample (n = 4,777) of Finish adults, aged 30 years and older. Our definition of root caries included primary decay on root surfaces, and a subject's periodontal state was described according to the presence or absence of gingival inflammation or periodontal pockets and subgingival calculus and/or overhangings. Subjects with a healthy periodontium seldom (4%) had any caries on root surfaces, whereas 15% had caries in conjunction with gingival inflammation, and 17% in conjunction with deepened pockets. The deeper the pockets, the greater the frequency of root caries for men, but not for women. Subgingival plaque retention showed a strong association with root caries. As the study population represented Finnish adults, the results can be generalized with reasonable confidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vehkalahti
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paunio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017213:Root Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000150:complications