Third molar caries experience in middle-aged and older Americans: a prevalence study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of third molar caries experience in a middle-aged and older population and the relationship of these findings to caries experience in teeth more anterior in the mouth.


METHODS
Data from 6,550 Dental Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study participants aged 52 to 74 years who underwent a clinical examination for coronal caries experience were available for these analyses. Subjects with visible third molars (N = 2,003) were divided based on third molar coronal caries experience on at least 1 third molar: no carious/decayed coronal surface (DS) or at least 1 coronal DS and no filled coronal surface (FS) or at least 1 coronal FS. Coronal DS and FS were also calculated for more anterior teeth. Covariates included ethnicity, gender, age, body mass index, education, income, smoking status, and diabetes diagnosis. Subject level outcomes for third molar and more anterior teeth were compared by descriptive statistics and chi(2) or t tests with statistical significance set at P less than .05. Multivariate modeling was performed to adjust outcome variables for covariates.


RESULTS
Third molar caries experience was detected in 77% of subjects and was significantly associated with caries experience in more anterior teeth and white race (P < .01). Caries experience was detected in only third molars in 1% of subjects, and 1% of subjects were caries free. Subjects with less education (20%) and lower income (19%) were significantly more likely to have DS detected compared with subjects with more education (6%) and higher income (5%) (P < .01). Conversely, subjects with more education (75%) and higher income (77%) were significantly more likely to have FS detected compared with subjects with less education (55%) and lower income (60%) (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Third molar coronal caries experience was significantly associated with caries experience in teeth more anterior in the mouth in this middle-aged and older population.
Fisher
Elda L
EL
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Moss
Kevin L
KL
Offenbacher
Steven
S
Beck
James D
JD
White
Raymond P
RP
D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People