Erosive Tooth Wear among Adults in Lithuania: A Cross-Sectional National Oral Health Study

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Erosive tooth wear has a multifactorial origin, where multiple risks contribute to its initiation and subsequent progression. The prevalence of tooth wear varies among countries; therefore, national studies are needed to examine the prevalence of this condition and its associated determinants. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> A sample of this national study included a total of 1,397 adults (response rate of 52%). Severity and number of teeth with erosive tooth wear, caries experience (D<sub>3</sub>MFS), and fluorosis were assessed clinically. A self-reported questionnaire inquired about sociodemographics, oral health behavior, diet, and general health. Fluoride levels in drinking water at the recruitment areas were also recorded. Data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate methods. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The prevalence of erosive tooth wear in enamel and dentin combined was 59% among 35- to 44-year-old, 75% among 45- to 54-year-old, 70% among 55- to 64-year-old, and 66% among 65- to 74-year-old males. The prevalence among females in the respective age groups was 44, 60, 63, and 59%. Erosive tooth wear in enamel was associated with a lower fluoride level (≤1 ppm) in the drinking water (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–4.2). Erosive tooth wear in dentin was positively associated with male gender (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1–2.5), periurban/rural residency (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.4), older age (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3–1.9), presence of reflux (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.0–10.9), and negatively with higher D<sub>3</sub>MFS scores (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5–0.9). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The prevalence of erosive tooth wear in enamel and dentin was relatively high in Lithuania; the erosive tooth wear in enamel and dentin combined was 52% among 35- to 44-year-olds, 68% among 45- to 54-year-olds, 67% among 55- to 64-year-olds, and 63% among 65- to 74-year-olds. Lower fluoride level in drinking water was associated with erosive tooth wear in enamel. Male gender, residency in periurban/rural areas, older age, and presence of acid reflux were associated with higher odds, while higher D<sub>3</sub>MFS scores were associated with lower odds for erosive tooth wear in dentin. These results can be used to plan dental public health prevention.

Prevalence of and factors associated with dental service utilization among early elderly in Lithuania

“…A total of 370 participants (response rate of 54.5%) completed a structured self-administered questionnaire and underwent a clinical dental examination. More details on sampling have been published elsewhere [ 17 , 18 ].…”

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults [ 19 ] was used. The English version of the questionnaire was translated into an official Lithuanian language and two minority languages (Russian and Polish) using the forward-backward translation technique [ 17 , 18 ]. Before the study began, the questionnaire was pretested in 10 adults who did not participate in the main study.…”

“…One calibrated dentist (I.S.) performed clinical examinations, and the level of intra-examiner agreement was satisfactory [ 17 ].…”

Fluoride in the drinking water and dental caries experience by tooth surface susceptibility among adults

“…The current cross-sectional study analyzed the data from the National Lithuanian Oral Health Survey (NLOHS) conducted in 2017-2019. The NLOHS included a stratified random sample of 35-74 years old subjects from the five largest Lithuanian cities and 10 randomly selected peri-urban/rural areas, one of each of the 10 Lithuanian counties [12]. Those in active military service, in prison, institutionalized, mentally disabled or not present in Lithuania during NLOHS were excluded.…”

Association between Diet and Xerostomia: Is Xerostomia a Barrier to a Healthy Eating Pattern?

“…The data were collected in 2017-2019, and the study included 1405 (52% response rate). The details about the sample size calculation and participant recruitment are presented elsewhere [6,7]. The selected number of participants (based on the calculation of minimum sample size) was randomly selected from the patient lists at primary health care institutions in five largest cities and randomly selected peri-urban and rural areas in each of the 10 Lithuanian counties.…”