title: Association of erosive tooth wear and dental caries in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 - an epidemiological cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of erosive tooth wear and its association with dental caries and socio-demographic factors among middle-aged Finnish adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the total Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (n = 12,058), a convenience sample (n = 3181 adults) was invited for an oral health examination of which 1962 (61.7 %) participated, comprising the final study group. Clinical examinations were carried out by trained and calibrated dentists. Erosive tooth wear was assessed by sextants using the Basic Erosive Wear Examination Index (BEWE, 0-18) and dental caries at surface level using the ICDAS criteria (0-6). Socio-demographic data were obtained from a postal questionnaire. A logistic regression model was generated to test the association of the variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of erosive tooth wear was 75 % and the mean of the BEWE sum score was 3.4 (SD 3.30). Almost half of the members needed non-invasive or invasive measures to prevent further progression of the condition. Of those with erosive lesions, 14.6 % suffered from severe erosive tooth wear. There was a strong positive relationship between the presence of severe erosive tooth wear (BEWE sum score ≥9) and male gender and restorative treatment need.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erosive tooth wear is a common finding in Finnish adult population; almost one in ten suffer from severe erosive tooth wear. Restorative treatment need seems to be associated with severe erosive tooth wear.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5281, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland. viivi.alaraudanjoki@oulu.fi.|Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Kajaanintie 54, FI-90029, Oulu, Finland. viivi.alaraudanjoki@oulu.fi.
authors.forename: Viivi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alaraudanjoki
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5281, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Marja-Liisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Laitala
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5281, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland.|Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Kajaanintie 54, FI-90029, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Kasarmikatu 11-13, FI-00029, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tjäderhane
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Kajaanintie 54, FI-90029, Oulu, Finland.|Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5281, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pesonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive, Restorative and Pediatric Dentistry, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 7, CH-3010, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lussi
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5281, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland.|Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Kajaanintie 54, FI-90029, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Vuokko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anttonen
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014077:Tooth Erosion; D057085:Tooth Wear
keywords: Dental caries; Epidemiologic; Erosion; Middle-aged