In vivo dissolution rate of enamel in acid and other caries activity tests in schoom children.

Abstract

Abstract:The present study was undertaken to compare the in vivo dissolution rate of enamel in acid with four other tests in school children as caries activity tests. Cariostat, buffer capacity of saliva, plaque scores, and snack intake (in addition to the dissolution rates which were reported previously) were examined in 30 school children when they were 7 and 9 years old. The dental caries was examined by the same examiner every six months from the ages of 7 (1981) to 11 (1985).The R.I.D. Indices of the upper central incisors and the upper and lower first molars were calculated by comparing each examination with the base lines at 7 and 9 years of age. The results were analysed using the sum of sensitivity and specificity.The following results were obtained: 1) At 7 years of age snack intake was the most useful of the five tests for prediction of the R.I.D. Index of the lower first molars, but after the age of 9 years it was only useful for prediction of the R.I.D. Index of the upper first molars. 2) In vivo dissolution rate of the lower left first molar and the plaque score of the upper left central incisor at 7 years of age were useful for prediction of the R.I.D.Index of the lower first molars.3) Cariostat and the buffer capacity of saliva tended to relate to the R.I.D. Index of all the teeth surveyed.

Plaque minerals in the prediction of caries activity

“…Attempts to predict future caries activity have been made during the past 30 years (6–9). Risk indicators studied include flow rate, pH buffering power, pH, and calcium and phosphate concentrations in saliva (10), dental enamel solubility (11), Strep mutans counts in saliva (12), past caries experience (13), tooth morphology, and dietary habits and other sociodemographic data (9). Of the multitude of factors studied, many have beenexamined as single predictors, but more recently the predictive power of several variables has been examined using multiple regression techniques (9).…”