A School-Based Study of Dental Erosion In Ontario Children

Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence and severity of dental erosion among 5-, 7- 9- and 13-year-old children attending public schools in York Region, Ontario in 2005/6 and 2006/7. It also assessed the relationship between dental erosion and dental caries experience in these child populations. Methods: Data were collected as part of the Dental Indices Survey conducted by the York Region Public Health Department. A systematic random sample of 400 children in each age group selected from the school registries was examined using the Dental Erosion Index (DEI) applied to incisors, second primary molars and first permanent molars. Prevalence and severity of dental erosion were estimated in descriptive analyses and group differences were assessed using chi-square- and t-test. Results: A total of 2,090 children participated in the survey. Overall, dental erosion was recorded in 6.9% (n=144) of the sample. There was no significant difference between either gender or age groups, but the prevalence of dental erosion was higher in the girls than the boys at all ages, with the largest difference among the 9-year-olds: 2.5%. Children with dental erosion were somewhat less likely to have dental decay than those without: 5.9% vs. 7.0% (p=0.57). The majority (83.3%, n=120) of children with dental erosion had enamel loss without dentin exposure (lowest severity level), followed by 13.2% (n=19) who had loss of enamel exposing dentine on ≥1/3 of the tooth surface (code 3 on a 4-point scale). Conclusions: The study provided the first evidence on the prevalence of dental erosion and its severity among schoolchildren in Ontario. It suggested the importance of this condition at the population level and the need for longitudinal studies to determine its incidence, progression and risk factors. (Supported: CDHSRU, OMOHLTC)