Oral hygiene and root caries occurrence in Slovenian adults.

This study investigated root caries related findings made in connection with basic clinical dental routines. A total of 410 adults, mean age 42.8 years, seeking dental care in two Slovenian communities, rural Ravne and urban Ljubljana, during a three-month period, were clinically examined for root caries. Primary root caries was defined as a softened yellowish-brown lesion gently penetrable by an explorer and situated principally on a root surface. Past root caries was defined as fillings at a similar location. A subject's oral hygiene was judged clinically as good, fair or poor, based on presence of dental plaque and subgingival calculus. Subjects' background variables included age, gender, and number of teeth. Subjects had on average 23.1 teeth, from which 0.8 teeth had primary root caries and 0.4 had fillings on root surfaces. Primary root caries occurred in 42 per cent of subjects, in 38 per cent of men and 45 per cent of women (P = 0.21), but fillings on root surfaces in only 19 per cent of the subjects, 11 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women (P = 0.001). The strongest factors explaining the presence of root caries, with control for other factors, were poor oral hygiene (odds ratio 3.1), smaller number of teeth (odds ratio 2.3 to 2.7), and older age (odds ratio 2.1). In conclusion, in everyday clinical dental practice, more emphasis should be placed on patients' proper oral hygiene and their encouragement and motivation to achieve it.

The prevalence of dental caries in Slovenia in 1987 and 1993.

Two national oral pathfinder surveys were conducted in the Republic of Slovenia in 1987 (1623 subjects) and 1993 (1567 subjects). The assessment forms used in the surveys were those of the World Health Organization. Persons aged 6, 12, 15, 18, 35-44 and 65 years or older were examined in all nine geographical areas of Slovenia. The results showed that caries prevalence declined in all the age groups except the oldest one. Mean DMFT changed from 5.2 to 3.9 (dmft) at age 6 years, from 5.1 to 2.6 at 12 years, from 10.2 to 5.6 at 15 years, from 12.9 to 8.8 at 18 years, from 20.5 to 19.0 at 35-44 years, and from 27.0 to 28.0 in persons aged 65 years or older. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for all the age groups except the last two. The proportion with caries-free primary teeth increased from 13 per cent to 30 per cent for 6-year-old children and for permanent teeth, from 6 per cent to 31 per cent for 12-year-old children. The substantial decline in caries is attributed to the widespread use of fluoridated dentifrices, the distribution of fluoride tablets to children and expectant mothers, topical application of an amine fluoride gel in schoolchildren, and an extensive fissure-sealing programme.