CLINICAL-STATISTICAL STUDY CONCERNING THE ROOT CARIES PREVALENCE AND THE CORRELATION WITH ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS

Root caries (RC) are considered a major oral health problem in the elderly, different studies showing its complexity and multifactorial nature. The aim of this study is to evaluate in a group of patients, the prevalence of RC and the correlation with etiological factors. Material and method. This study was conducted on a group of 320 patients aged between 55 and 85 years old, which came for consultation and treatment during 2015-2017. Of these, 180 patients showed a number of 280 RC. RC diagnosis was performed according to the modified Dental Decay and Assessment Code (ICDAS II). Each patient received a consultation card and in addition, each one completed a questionnaire about risk factors that may cause RC. Results. The present study analyzed the prevalence of root caries and the correlation between root caries index (RCI) and several categories of etiological factors. Of the total group of 320 patients, 180 (36%) patients had RC, 92 (51%) were males and 88 (49%) females. It was found that the number of RC at the maxillary is higher (57%) compared to the mandible (43%). Half of the RC are located on the facial aspect of the teeth, proximal areas are interested in relatively equal proportions (27% on mesial surfaces and 23% on distal surfaces). The incidence of root caries is related to risk factors like age (p=0.037) and gingival recession (p=0.013), dental hygiene (p=0.039), alcohol consumption (p = 0.034), smoking (p = 0.050) and financial situation (p = 0.021). Conclusions. Knowledge of risk factors and their correlation with the RCI may lead to the development of some preventive protocols and individual curative treatment in accordance with the risk group of each patient