title: Caries risk assessment in schoolchildren--a form based on Cariogram software.
abstract: Identifying caries risk factors is an important measure which contributes to best understanding of the cariogenic profile of the patient. The Cariogram software provides this analysis, and protocols simplifying the method were suggested.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether a newly developed Caries Risk Assessment (CRA) form based on the Cariogram software could classify schoolchildren according to their caries risk and to evaluate relationships between caries risk and the variables in the form.
  
  
  METHODS
  150 schoolchildren aged 5 to 7 years old were included in this survey. Caries prevalence was obtained according to International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) II. Information for filling in the form based on Cariogram was collected clinically and from questionnaires sent to parents. Linear regression and a forward stepwise multiple regression model were applied to correlate the variables included in the form with the caries risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caries prevalence, in primary dentition, including enamel and dentine carious lesions was 98.6%, and 77.3% when only dentine lesions were considered. Eighty-six percent of the children were classified as at moderate caries risk. The forward stepwise multiple regression model result was significant (R2=0.904; p<0.00001), showing that the most significant factors influencing caries risk were caries experience, oral hygiene, frequency of food consumption, sugar consumption and fluoride sources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the form based on the Cariogram software enabled classification of the schoolchildren at low, moderate and high caries risk. Caries experience, oral hygiene, frequency of food consumption, sugar consumption and fluoride sources are the variables that were shown to be highly correlated with caries risk.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program of Health Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Nunes
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hilgert
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Soraya Coelho
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Leal
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology; D012986:Software Validation
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose