The present study found a moderate prevalence of dental erosion among young schoolchildren, with mild erosion being the most prevalent condition. Socio demographic variables and dietary habits were associated with dental erosion in this population.

Objectives: This population-based longitudinal study investigated the incidence, progression and risk factors for dental erosion among South Brazilian adolescents.Methods: Eight hundred and one schoolchildren attending 42 public and private schools were clinically examined at 12 years of age; clinical examinations were repeated after 2.5 years (SD=0.3). After tooth cleaning and drying, permanent incisors and first molars were classified using the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) scoring criteria. Questionnaires were used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits, toothbrushing frequency and general health. Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the association between dental erosion incidence and explanatory variables, with adjusted incidence risk ratios (IRR) and 95% CI estimated.Results: Among those who did not have dental erosion at baseline, 49 of 680 schoolchildren (7.1%; 95% CI=5.2-9.1) developed erosive lesions over the follow-up period. Among schoolchildren who had dental erosion at baseline, 31 of 121 (25.4%; 95% CI=17.6-33.3) had new or more severe lesions. Boys were more likely to develop dental erosion than girls (IRR=1.88; 95% CI=1.06-3.32).Conclusions: A moderate incidence of dental erosion was observed among South Brazilian adolescents, with boys being at higher risk. The high progression rate of 25% observed here is very concerning, and it should be taken in consideration when designing preventive strategies for dental erosion.epidemiology, tooth erosion, public health, risk assessment | INTRODUCTIONThere is growing evidence that the incidence of dental erosion among children and adolescents might be on the rise.1 Prevalence estimates in the last 10 years range between 13% and 75% among 12-year-olds in different populations, 2-9 and a recent systematic review estimated that approximately one-third of children and adolescents have erosive wear in permanent teeth. 10 These estimates seem to indicate that dental erosion will become a major dental public health concern in the near future.In spite of the wealth of data from cross-sectional studies, little is known about the incidence, and progression of dental erosion (or its risk factors) among youth. In a 2-year prospective cohort study of 1308 12-year-old adolescents from the UK, an incidence rate of 12.3% and progression rate of 27.0% were observed. 11 Boys, whites, and children living in conditions of social deprivation were more affected by dental erosion. El Aidi et al. 12 followed 395 12-year-old Dutch children attending a paediatric dental clinic for 1.5 years. The incidence rate of dental erosion was 15.8%, and new or more advanced lesions were found in 29.0% of individuals; dental erosion incidence and progression in molars were higher in boys than in girls.Recently, 175 13-14-year-old Swedish adolescents were followed for 4 years, 13 with an incidence of 76.0% and a progression rate at the individual level of 30.0% over the study period. Whereas very limited data on the incidence of and risk ...

The aim of this study was to assess the association between weight status and ΔDMFS among 12-year-old schoolchildren from South Brazil. A total of 801 12-year-old schoolchildren were followed-up for 2.5 ± 0.3 years. Data collection included questionnaire, recording of anthropometric measures (height and weight), and caries examination. The outcome was the difference between DMFS (number of decayed, missing or filled surfaces) at follow-up and baseline (ΔDMFS). Weight status, based on body mass index-forage Z-scores, was considered the main predictor variable. Negative binomial regression models were used to model the association, and rate ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated. A multivariable fractional polynomial model was used to further explore the relationship between obesity and dental caries. DMFS increased by 0.86 (95%CI = 0.65-1.07), 0.91 (95%CI = 0.59-1.23), and 0.42 (95%CI = 0.03-0.80) for normal weight, overweight, and obese schoolchildren, respectively. Obese adolescents had significantly lower ΔDMFS than normal weight ones (p < 0.05). No significant association between categories of weight status and ΔDMFS was found (overweight, IRR=0.92, 95%CI = 0.69-1.21, p = 0.54; obese IRR = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.51-1.12, p = 0.16). However, the multivariable fractional polynomial model showed an inverted U shaped relationship with a decreasing ΔDMFS with increasing BMI (p < 0.05). This population-based longitudinal study showed an inverse association between obesity and ΔDMFS over a 2.5-year period among South Brazilian adolescents.

This cohort study evaluated the fate of sound surfaces and inactive non-cavitated (INC) and active non-cavitated (ANC) caries lesions in a population-based sample of South Brazilian adolescents, in answer to the question: “Is lesion activity assessment a reliable criterion to diagnose a patient’s caries activity?” A total of 801 schoolchildren were examined at baseline (aged 12 years) and after a mean time interval of 2.5 years. Data collection included a questionnaire and clinical examination. Patients were classified as caries-free (patients without any lesion), caries-inactive (patients with only inactive lesions), and caries-active (patients with at least one active lesion). The primary outcome was caries progression (presence of cavity, underlying dentin shadow, filling, or extraction at the follow-up exam). Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the risk for caries progression. The main predictor variable was status of the surface at baseline: sound, INC, or ANC. Progression rates of 1.0, 9.0, and 12.6% were found for sound surfaces, INC, and ANC, respectively. INC (incidence risk ratio [IRR] 5.37, 95% CI 4.22–6.83) and ANC (IRR 4.96, 95% CI 3.43–7.17) had greater risk for caries progression than sound surfaces. Similar risks for progression were found for ANC and INC (IRR 0.92, 95% CI 0.64–1.32). Progression rates were 0.6, 1.1, and 2.2% for caries-free, caries-inactive, and caries-active individuals, respectively (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). The risk for caries progression of sound surfaces was higher among caries-active adolescents (caries-free: IRR 2.78, 95% CI 1.63–4.72; caries-inactive: IRR 2.19, 95% CI 1.65–2.90). Caries-inactive patients behaved similarly to caries-free individuals (IRR 1.27, 95% CI 0.73–2.20). This study demonstrated the possibility of defining a patient’s caries activity profile based on lesion features.

This 2.5-year cohort study investigated whether patient’s caries activity is independently associated with caries increment among adolescents, regardless of previous caries experience, in a sample of 801 adolescents from South Brazil. Caries examination was performed at baseline (12y) and at follow-up (14–15y). Caries activity was significantly associated with caries increment even after adjustment for sex, socioeconomic status, type of school, and previous caries experience at both cavity and non-cavitated levels. Caries-active adolescents had approximately 2-fold higher risk of caries increment than those without caries activity (cavity level, IRR=1.90, 95%CI=1.45-2.49, p<0.001; non-cavitated level, IRR=2.16, 95%CI=1.63-2.86, p<0.001).