title: Dental erosive wear assessment among adolescents and adults utilizing the basic erosive wear examination (BEWE) scoring system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate erosive tooth wear and related variables among adolescents and adults in Israel, utilizing the new basic erosive wear examination (BEWE) scoring system, in an attempt to contribute to the ongoing review, evaluation, and further development of an international standardized index.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytic survey was conducted among 500 subjects of five age groups. Dental erosion was measured according to the new BEWE scoring system. Independent variables included gender, age, origin, education, employment status, and diet. A backward stepwise linear regression model was applied to identify significantly associated variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty percent of the survey subjects demonstrated erosive tooth wear; among them, 10 % had distinct erosion of over 50 % of the dental surface. Total BEWE score differences by age groups were statistically significant; as the age increased, the mean total BEWE scores increased (p < 0.001). The association between acidic foods and erosion was evident among the younger population (p = 0.038). In a multiple regression model, age (p < 0.001) and diet (p = 0.044) achieved statistical significance as variables associated with dental erosive wear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study is one of the first to use the BEWE scoring system in an epidemiological survey among adolescents and adults. It was found that the BEWE index is straightforward, easy to conduct, and comfortably accepted by the examinees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings, together with further international research, should contribute toward continued evaluation of the BEWE system as an international standard and thereby, toward more optimal understanding, evidence-based treatment, and prevention of dental erosive wear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, PO Box 12272, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel, vyuval@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Yuval
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vered
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lussi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zini
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gleitman
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Sgan-Cohen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000503:physiopathology*