title: Caries risk profile of 12 year old school children in an Indian city using Cariogram.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted with an aim to assess the caries profile of 12 year old Indian children using Cariogram.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred children were interviewed to record any illness, oral hygiene practices and fluoride exposure after obtaining a three day diet diary. Examination was done to record plaque and dental caries status. Stimulated saliva was collected and salivary flow rate, salivary buffering capacity, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus were assessed. The information obtained was scored and Cariogram was created. Differences between mean decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and Cariogram risk groups were assessed using ANOVA. Spearman Correlation coefficients were used to explore correlation among Cariogram scores and individual variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that 21, 45, 21 and 13 children had 0-20%, 21-40%, 41-60% and 61-100% chance of avoiding caries respectively in future. Significant correlation was observed between cariogram score and DMFT, diet content, diet frequency, plaque scores, Streptococcus mutans counts and fluoride programme.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cariogram model can identify the caries-related factors that could be the reasons for the estimated future caries risk, and therefore help the dentist to plan appropriate preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of dental sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka India. drmamatahebbal@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Mamata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebbal
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ankola
authors.forename: Sharada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Metgud
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014504:Urban Health