Common dental conditions associated with dental erosion in schoolchildren in Australia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the investigation was to determine factors associated with dental erosion in a group of schoolchildren in Queensland, Australia.


METHODS
Dental examinations were carried out on 714 children aged 5.5 to 14.6 years from 8 randomly selected Australian schools. A total of 3,165 primary and 2,976 permanent teeth were scored for dental erosion using a modified erosion index. Dental caries experience was determined from clinical examination and bitewing radiographs. Enamel defects were recorded using the developmental defects of enamel index.


RESULTS
There were 225 children (32%) who exhibited no erosion and 489 (68%) who had erosion of at least one tooth. Erosion was found in 78% of subjects with primary teeth and 25% of subjects with permanent teeth (P<.001). Children with erosion in the primary and permanent dentition were more likely to have: (1) a lower socioeconomic status (primary dentition, P<.001 and permanent dentition (P<.001); (2) enamel hypoplasia in permanent dentition (P=.001); (3) dental caries in the primary dentition (P=.001); and (4) permanent dentition (P=.002).


CONCLUSIONS
In Australian schoolchildren, the prevalence of dental erosion in the primary dentition is approximately 3 times greater than in the permanent dentition. Dental erosion is strongly associated with caries experience and enamel hypoplasia.
School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Stauros
S
Kazoullis
W Kim
WK
Seow
Trevor
T
Holcombe
Bruce
B
Newman
Daniel
D
Ford
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing; D012923:Social Class; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology