Correlation between the caries status of the first permanent molars and the overall DMFT Index

Abstract

To analyze whether a correlation exists between the caries status (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth, DMFT Index) of the first permanent molars (FPMs) and that of the full permanent dentition of Mexican adolescents, and to propose its use in large epidemiological studies of dental caries. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1538 adolescents from 12 to 15 years old. Based on a clinical oral examination, we determined the DMFT Indices of their FPMs (FPM-DMFT) and of their full permanent dentition (comprehensive DMFT Index). We explored each FPM to determine whether it was with or without caries, filled, missing or sealed. For our statistical analysis, we used Fisher exact test and Spearman correlation in Stata software. After examining a total of 6157 FPMs, we found that 56.8% of our sample of adolescents had no caries in their 4 FPMs whereas 4.9% experienced caries in all 4. No significant differences emerged by sex (P > .05); however, by age, the older adolescents experienced greater FPM-DMFT (P < .05). Analysis yielded a correlation of r = 0.8693 between the FPM-DMFT and comprehensive DMFT scores (P < .0001) of participants. The underestimation of caries prevalence (DMFT > 0) was 5.4% (48.6% vs 43.2%), while the DMFT Index was underestimated at 0.34 (1.15 vs 0.81). The strong correlation between the FPM-DMFT and comprehensive DMFT Indices suggests that overall caries status can be inferred on the basis of FPM caries status. This evidence is useful when conducting large epidemiological studies such as national surveys.

Self-Reported Dental Caries by Mexican Elementary and Middle-School Schoolchildren in the Context of Socioeconomic Indicators: A National Ecological Study

“…While in Latin America there is only a small number of countries that report dental health status with nationally representative samples [2], dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease [3]. In Mexico, the situation is similar, with low utilization of preventive dental services and high prevalence of caries and treatment needs in children and adolescents [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In general, about half of individuals between 6 and 12 years of age present caries lesions in any tooth of either primary or permanent dentition [4,10], with consequences in terms of pain, suffering, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life.…”

Prevalência de cárie em escolares de 5 e 12 anos no município de Palmas-TO

“…Inquéritos epidemiológicos em saúde bucal são elementos fundamentais no conhecimento da prevalência da cárie dentária, nos processos de monitoramento das condições de saúde da população e no desempenho do sistema de saúde (Peres et.al., 2012;Roncalli et al, 2019). Pontigo-Loyola et al (2020) afirmam que os estudos epidemiológicos são considerados de extrema importância para a saúde pública por constituírem a única fonte de informações precisas sobre a frequência e distribuição das doenças bucais, servindo de base para a avaliação das necessidades de tratamento dentário.…”

Comparison of Retention between Conventional and Nanofilled Resin Sealants in a Paediatric Population: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…The first molar is usually the first tooth to erupt in young permanent dentition, and thus it is the most susceptible to decay within the first 2–4 years of its eruption [ 7 ]. Children find it difficult to practice proper oral hygiene measures, and especially posteriorly, as it is relatively difficult to access [ 8 ].…”