Advances in Dental Research, Vol 7, 42-51, Copyright © 1993 by International & American Associations for Dental Research
The epidemiology of root surface caries: North American studies
J. D. Beck
Department of Dental Ecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599.
After some problems resulting from the lack of standardized methods in the
conduct of root caries studies and the lack of standardized reports of
findings are reviewed, the prevalence and incidence of root surface caries
in North America are reviewed through a combination of epidemiologic
studies and large clinical trials. As part of this review, the available
evidence on the relationship between root caries and missing teeth is
presented. These data lead to the conclusion that the prevalence and, to
some extent, the incidence of root caries are underestimated in adults with
missing teeth. This review resulted in a number of observations regarding
the status of root caries as an oral health problem. First, there is little
evidence that would allow conclusions regarding the secular increase or
decrease in the prevalence or incidence of root caries to be drawn. Other
observations gleaned include the remarkably similar prevalence and
incidence rates obtained from the studies reviewed, positive associations
between root caries and age, negative associations between the prevalence
and incidence of root caries and consumption of water containing fluoride,
indications that root caries is a problem in adults with incidence rates
that approach caries rates in children, and associations between the
prevalence and incidence of root caries and a wide variety of oral,
behavioral, and medical conditions. The final observation is the need for
the acceptance of conventions for the definition of root caries as well as
the reporting of findings in order for more firm conclusions to be drawn
from future studies.
