Root caries: risk factors

There was a large number of variables associated with the development of root caries on both prevalence and incidence studies. Beck et al. (1987) proposed a multi-factor model, which illustrates the complex web etiological variables that can be associated with either the severity or progression of the disease.as expected, the subjects with periodontal disease have an increased level of root caries, as they are more vulnerable in the root, but the attack rate is greater for those who are untreated periodontal disease compared with subjects of periodontal after departure. This probably reflects the improvement of hygiene in these subjects (elderly individuals who demonstrate a good level of oral hygiene for several root caries lesions).

Currently, there are a large number of studies of risk factors for the root caries, and it can be hard to separate the real risk factors from their joint variables. Chronological age is probably little sense as that in determining the root caries activity, but also increase the biological age-related medical/physical wear and disability may be much more important.

For example, the high level of the root caries reported in chronically ill, institutionalized elderly, drug addicts and persons with altered function of the salivary as a result of disease or its treatment. Also there is a strong link between the past root caries experience and the development of new lesions and weaker connection between coronal collapse of experience and root caries. Higher prevalence rates are observed in men compared with women, and there are a number of social behavioral variables that are related to positive and negative way from the root caries. The number of remaining teeth and active participation of society are negative predictors for the root caries. Negative life events, low education, low income, recurrent chronic diseases, rarely oral hygiene, irregular attendance, and for all the positive factors that determine the level of disease activity.