Objective: To identify baseline factors associated with future root caries development in an elderly population.
Basic research design: Oral health and general health status examinations were carried out at baseline and after one and two years. In order to identify risk predictors of root caries with a different degree of robustness, three multiple logistic regression analyses where the dependent variables were one, two and three or more disease events were performed.
Participants: Six hundred noninstitutionalised adults aged 70 in Niigata, Japan took part in the baseline examination. A total of 373 subjects were followed up for two years and identified as dentate at the two-year examination.
Results: During the period of study, 35.9% of subjects developed at least one new root caries lesion. The mean number of new root caries lesions per subject was 0.9 (sd = 1.7). Logistic regression analyses indicated that having one or more root D surface and mean LA > or = 3.6 mm were the most robust risk predictors, having two or more prosthetic crowns, non use of interdental brushes or dental floss and LB > or = 10(5) CFU/ml were moderately robust risk predictors, and a Body Mass Index < 20 was the least robust risk predictor.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that oral health status is a good risk predictor, and poor general health indicated by a low Body Mass Index may also contribute to root caries occurrence in this elderly population.