Association of root caries with oral habits in older individuals attending a rural health centre of a dental hospital in India.

BACKGROUND

Many risk factors can compromise an older adult's systemic health. Among the oral ailments in the elderly, root caries is a significant one which causes tooth loss in them. Hence, there is a need to have a baseline data for understanding problem of root caries in elderly population and factors which affect its prevalence.

AIMS: a)To asses the prevalence of root caries in older individuals in a rural health centre in India. b) To asses the relationship of oral habits with root caries.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The study included 210 elderly dentate and consenting individuals (123-females, 87-males) aged 55 to 75 y and above. Demographic and health behaviour data were collected through personal interviews. The subjects were examined for root caries. Statistical analyses of the data were done using chi-square and multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Out of all, 94.76% of elderly patients examined had gingival recession in one or more teeth. The prevalence of root caries was 41.9%. The prevalence of root caries was significantly associated with age, perceived dryness of mouth, smoking, smoking and tobacco chewing and tobacco chewing only (p<0.05). There was significantly higher root caries in the age group of 75 years and above (OR-3.67).

CONCLUSION

It was evident from our study that root caries prevalence was high in elderly population. Age, root surfaces with recession, deleterious oral habits such as smoking, tobacco chewing, and dryness of mouth had a definite effect on the prevalence of root caries.