Factors Associated with Adult Rampant Caries in Kuwait

Objective: To investigate the relationship between caries etiological factors and occurrence of adult rampant caries in Kuwait. Methods: Forty-two rampant caries patients, attending polyclinics in Kuwait, were included in a cross-sectional study, and compared with 38 adult caries-free patients. The rampant caries patients were aged 16 years or older, and had a minimum of 8 open carious cavities, with the involvement of at least one anterior tooth; while the caries-free patients had at least 24 standing teeth, and no carious cavities. Resting and stimulated salivary flow rates, salivary buffering capacity, frequency of sugar consumption and oral hygiene index were measured; while lactobacilli and mutans streptococci counts were determined by the dip-slide method. Results: Chi-square or Fisher's exact test showed that rampant caries patients had significantly higher frequency of sugar consumption, plaque index, lactobacilli and mutans streptococci counts, when compared to the caries-free group. In contrast, no significant difference was observed in the stimulated salivary flow rates or buffering capacity between the two groups of patients. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, only frequency of sugar consumption, oral hygiene and mutans streptococci counts had significant effect on the occurrence of rampant caries. Of the demographic factors, only income level had significant effect on the occurrence of the disease, while age, gender, nationality and educational level had no effect. Conclusion: Adult rampant caries in Kuwait is not due to salivary gland hypofunction, but is the result of high frequency of sugar consumption and poor oral hygiene.

This work was supported by Kuwait University Research Administration Grants DR 05/01.