Association between interdental plaque acidogenicity and caries risk at surface level: a cross sectional study in primary dentition.
BACKGROUND
In schoolchildren the most commonly decayed primary teeth are molars affecting proximal adjacent surfaces especially.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a more acidic plaque in response to sucrose challenge is detected in children with more carious lesions.


METHODS
Plaque pH measurements, using the microtouch technique, were carried out in interproximal spaces between primary molars, in 157 high caries risk children (314 sites and caries status of the 628 proximal surfaces recorded). The area under the curve (AUC(5.7) and AUC(6.2) ) was analyzed.


RESULTS
The AUC(5.7) and the AUC(6.2) showed a statistically significant difference between plaque adjacent to proximal surfaces with or without caries. Differences for AUC(5.7) and AUC(6.2) were recorded between one decayed surface compared to two decayed surfaces (P<0.01) whereas a statistical significant difference was only observed for AUC(5.7) , when the areas under the curve were obtained near one decayed surface compared to two sound surfaces (P=0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
The higher acidogenicity of the dental plaque found in presence of a proximal carious lesion in primary maxillary molars represents an additional risk factor for the adjacent surface. This finding may help clinicians in treatment decisions.
Cagetti
Maria Grazia
MG
WHO Collaborating Centre of Milan for Epidemiology and Community Dentistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Campus
Guglielmo
G
Sale
Silvana
S
Cocco
Fabio
F
Strohmenger
Laura
L
Lingström
Peter
P
D019540:Area Under Curve; D002326:Cariogenic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility / Q000502:physiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008437:Maxilla; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D013395:Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D002326:Cariogenic Agents; D013395:Sucrose