Dietary questions in caries risk assessment and their relationship to caries.

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective chart review evaluated the relationship between specific dietary questions used in caries risk assessment and planned restorative treatment among patients attending a dental school's clinic.

METHODS

Records for 6,218 adult patients attending the University of Iowa College of Dentistry who completed caries risk assessments and comprehensive oral examinations during 2018-2019 were included. The number of planned caries restorative treatments were compared between groups based on responses to specific dietary questions on the caries risk assessment. Analyses included chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and logistic regression for factors associated with caries treatments.

RESULTS

About 20% of subjects needed caries treatment, and regression analyses found that younger age, having unstructured meals, drinking sugared beverages daily, and drinking them for more than 30 min were significantly (p < 0.01) associated with having caries.

CONCLUSIONS

Specific and focused questions on dietary practices are strongly associated with caries, and may be useful in improving caries risk assessments.