Dental health in the adult population of Arkhangelsk: а study protocol

Abstract

The Arkhangelsk region is characterized by a high prevalence and intensity of dental diseases, but most of the studies were either hospital-based or used small samples with questionable representativeness.Aims: This article is a protocol of an original, the purpose of which is to assess the dental status of the adult population of Arkhangelsk using a representative sample. Methods: In 2022, a cross-sectional study “Prevalence of dental pathology among the population of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (using the example of Arkhangelsk) and associated characteristics of the microbiome of the intestine and the respiratory tract” (hereinafter referred to as the dental study) was conducted in Arkhangelsk. The dental study was a part of the study “Molecular and genetic markers of the response to coronavirus infection and changes in the human microbiota and metabolome during the COVID-19 pandemic” (hereinafter referred to as the study on the effects of COVID-19). Data collection for the study was carried out from October 3 to November 10, 2022 at the Northern State Medical University. The study involved 463 adults aged 42-76 years living in the city of Arkhangelsk, representing a random sample of the adult population who had previously taken part in the “Know Your Heart” project in 2015-2017. All participants were asked to undergo an additional dental examination. The response rate was 91.6%. The dental examination included a questionnaire, assessment of dental status as recommended by the World Health Organization (2013), assessment of oral hygiene and gum inflammation, collection of gingival fluid, autofluorescence stomatoscopy (AFS), dental aesthetic index (DAI), examination by an orthodontist with periotestometry, performing a photo protocol, conducting biometrics of plaster models. Also, if indicated, participants were asked to undergo in-depth diagnostics to identify orthodontic pathology, namely, teleradiography and a cone-beam computed tomography.