Oral Health and Dental Management

Abstract

Study of the correlation between risk factors and prevalence of root caries

Ludmila Barysenka

Root caries and its consequences are of increasing importance, particularly to the geriatric population.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of root caries lesions in Belarus and their
possible interrelation with several risk indicators and risk factors in older adults. Four hundred subjects
of 65-74 years old in six regions of Belarus were surveyed. Oral hygiene (OHI-S, Green-
Vermillion, 1964), DMFT, root caries (DT), CPITN (Ainamo J., 1983) and loss of attachment (Stahl,
Morris, 1955) were recorded. We established low prevalence and incidence of root caries in 65-74 yrold
adults in Belarus, because they had low number of retained natural teeth. There was close correlation
of root caries and risk factors such as poor oral hygiene, severity of periodontal disease and
gingival recession in the studied population.