Risk factors and risk indicators associated with high caries experience in Swedish 19-year-olds

Objective. To study the risk factors and risk indicators associated with high caries experience (DMFS ≥ 10) in 19-year-olds. Material and Methods. The subjects (n=800) lived in seven suburbs of Stockholm and answered a structured questionnaire about their parents’ education, occupation, and country of birth, as well as their dietary habits, oral hygiene habits, and attitudes to dental care. Dental caries was assessed by clinical and radiographic examination using the decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT), and surfaces (DMFS) indices. Dental plaque (VPI%) and gingival bleeding (GBI%) indices were recorded. Results. A total of 696 subjects (364 M, 332 F) participated in the study. The mean DMFT and DMFS were 3.9 and 5.1, respectively. In 81% of subjects, the DMFT was ≥ 1 and 15% had DMFS ≥ 10. In the multivariate analysis, the variables significantly associated with high caries experience were: dental fear (p<0.001, odds ratio (OR) 2.8), GBI ≥ 15% (p=0.003, OR 2.1), mother born abroad (p=0.007, OR 2.0) and ...