The Suitability of Questionnaires for Exploring Relations of Dietary Behavior and Tooth Wear

Prevalence of erosive tooth wear and associated risk factors in Colombian adolescents

Accurate determination of the prevalence of erosive tooth wear (ETW) and associated risk factors in adolescents can inform clinical management guidelines. The aim of this analytical cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of ETW in adolescents aged 12-15 years in the municipality of Usaquén in Bogotá, Colombia. Two calibrated examiners clinically assessed ETW using Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) Index (range: 0-3). All tooth surfaces (excluding proximal) were scored to allow estimation of the Highest (0-3) and Total BEWE (sum of Highest BEWE score per sextant: 0-18) scores per patient. Sociodemographic characteristics, ETW risk factors, and caries severity (ICDAS-epi-merged) were evaluated, and their association with the presence of ETW (indicated by a Highest BEWE score of 2-3) was examined using preliminary analyses and logistic regression models. The study sample included 454 adolescents (mean age: 13.5±1.1 years; female: 61.7%), and the prevalence of ETW was 71.6%. The majority of participants exhibited a Highest BEWE score of 3 (58.0%) and a Total BEWE score ≤8 (84.3%). The preliminary analysis showed an association between the presence of ETW and age, caries, and brushing teeth before eating (p-value < 0.05). Risk factors for ETW included always brushing teeth before eating [adjusted Prevalence Ratio (PRa) 1.31, p-value=0.014], presence of extensive carious lesions (PRa 1.23, p-value = 0.024), male gender (PRa 1.14, p-value = 0.028), and age > 14 years (PRa 1.17, p-value = 0.009). Although ETW was highly prevalent, most Colombian adolescents exhibited low Total BEWE scores. ETW was associated with frequent fruit intake, age, toothbrushing habits, caries lesions, and sex.

Intraoral scanner-based monitoring of tooth wear in young adults: 24-month results

OBJECTIVES

Tooth wear causes irreversible cumulated surface loss and already occurs at a young age. Therefore, the objective of this clinical prospective observational study was to monitor the occlusal surface of a mandibular first molar in young adults for a period of 24 months. Furthermore, potential aetiological factors obtained by a questionnaire were considered.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study teeth (FDI #36 or #46) of 81 participants (mean age 22.8 ± 2.2 years) were scanned with the intraoral scanner (IOS, Trios 3, 3Shape) at the second follow-up (T2) after an observation period of 24 months. Standard-tessellation-language datasets were superimposed with baseline (T0) and T2 scans in 3D analysis software (GOM Inspect). The maximum vertical substance loss was measured between T0 and T2 at 6/7 areas (4/5 cusps and 2 ridges) of each study tooth and data compared to the already published data of the first follow-up (T1) after 12-month observation period. The morphology of tooth wear was classified into three groups: cupping (C), facet (F) and combined cupping-facet (CF). The analysis of aetiological factors, such as acid impacts, was based on a questionnaire filled out by participants at time points T0, T1 and T2. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

The buccal load-bearing cusps (mesiobuccal: median 15 μm, 95%CI 11/18 μm; mesiolingual 8 μm, 0/11 μm) were most affected by tooth wear. Loss values increased significantly at T2 compared to T1 for all areas, although significantly less than in the first 12 months (T0-T1). Areas that already exhibited F at T0 mostly displayed them also at T2 and only rarely developed further into C or CF. The only association between aetiological factors and loss values could be detected for sex as males had significantly higher loss values than females.

CONCLUSIONS

Progression of tooth wear could be clearly shown with high interindividual variations in loss values among participants. This indicates the need for individual monitoring with IOS.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

IOSs show the potential for patient-specific monitoring to detect the progression of tooth wear. Thus, data of 24 months fills the gap of tooth wear data for young adults in literature. Further studies over a longer observation period are highly recommended to gain more information about the dynamic of tooth wear and aetiological factors.

The Emerging Field of Nutritional Dentistry

Nutrition is, like oxygen, one of the basic requirements for animals and, accordingly, Homo sapiens to live [...].