Toothwear in the permanent dentition of 12-year-olds: A follow-on study

Objectives: Determine the prevalence of toothwear in a sample of 12-year-olds (n=123), first examined at age 5. Investigate the relationship of demographic, dietary and behavioural variables, with toothwear at age 12. Methods: Score toothwear using two indices, method 1 recorded wear at the dentinal level. Method 2 scored both loss of enamel and loss of dentine. Potential explanatory variables were collected via questionnaires. Statistical analysis was logistic regression, with significance set at 5% for each method. Results: Fifty percent of males (n=31) and 26% (n=16) of females had toothwear on at least one permanent tooth, according to method 1. With method 2, thirty four percent (n=21) of males had enamel loss and 53% (n=33) had dentine loss. For females 56% (n=34) had enamel loss and 26% (n=16) had dentine loss. Significant variables included gender, previous toothwear/erosion and oral hygiene behaviours. Males had more toothwear into dentine, than females according to both methods, (p=0.0036), O.R. 3.367, (95% C.I. 1.488, 7.633) and (p=0.0014), O.R. 4.048, (95% C.I. 1.715, 9.523). Children that had toothwear/erosion at age 5 were more likely to have toothwear on their permanent molar teeth at age 12 (p=0.0283), O.R. 5.064 (95% C.I. 1.322, 19.394) using method 1 and toothwear with dentine loss using method 2 (p=0.0465), O.R. 2.713 (95% C.I. 1.015, 7.249). Children brushing at least twice daily had less toothwear on incisor teeth than children brushing less frequently for both methods(p=0.016), O.R. 0.292 (95% C.I. 0.107, 0.795; (p=0.0389), O.R. 0.366 (95% C.I. 0.141, 0.95). Conclusions: Differences in toothwear levels exist between genders. Children with evidence of toothwear/erosion at age 5 were more likely to have toothwear with dentine loss in their permanent dentition at 12 years. Children brushing at least twice daily had less toothwear at 12 years than those brushing less frequently.

GSK Research Grant