IADR Abstract Archives

Association between Root Caries and Serum Albumin in Gullah-African-American Diabetics

Objectives: Recent studies have found significant negative associations between serum albumin and root caries. This relationship was evaluated within a study population of Gullah-African-Americans (whose European-Caucasian admixture is, notably, 3.5%) with type-2-diabetes-mellitus and normal kidney function. Additionally, coronal status, root caries, and diabetes-control were assessed.

Methods: Analyses included enrolled study subjects with non-missing data for serum albumin and root caries (N=301). Coronal status was evaluated by the DMFS/T caries index. Root caries (decayed/filled [RTDF], decayed [RTD], or filled [RTF]) were assessed by total affected surfaces (S) and total affected teeth (T). Glycylated hemoglobin (HgbA1C) levels were dichotomized into poor-controlled (HgbA1C≥7%) verses well-controlled-diabetes (HgbA1C<7%). Pearson correlations, Spearman correlations, and linear regression modeling (univariate and multivariable) evaluated for significant (α=0.05) associations between serum albumin (g/dL) and root caries indices (RTDFS, RTDS, RTFS, RTDFT, RTDT, and RTFT). Multivariable models included the primary predictors (root caries indices) and medical, dental, behavioral, and demographic covariates.

Results: Poorly-controlled-diabetics (60.8%) were more prevalent than well-controlled (39.2%). DMFS totals ranged 2-116 (mean=54.8, SD=28.2), and DMFT totals ranged 1-28 (mean=14.7, SD=6.6). RTDFS totals ranged 0-38 (mean=1.3, SD=4.4), and RTDFT totals ranged 0-17 (mean=0.6, SD=1.8). Serum albumin concentrations ranged 2.2-4.5g/dL (mean=3.8, SD=0.3). Neither correlation nor linear regression analyses detected significant associations between serum albumin and root caries. However, the final multivariable models showed significant positive associations between serum albumin and number of root surfaces present (equivalently, total teeth) after adjusting for other remaining covariates.

Conclusion: These analyses failed to detect significant associations between serum albumin and root caries, but revealed significant positive associations with number of root surfaces present. For this Gullah-African-American study population, total tooth counts may be a practical, non-invasive substitute for serum albumin as a general health-status marker.

Support: NIH/NCRR P20 RR-017696


IADR/AADR/CADR General Session
2009 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session (Miami, Florida)
Miami, Florida
2009
96
Oral Health Research
  • Marlow, Nicole  ( Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA )
  • Slate, Elizabeth  ( Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA )
  • Bandyopadhyay, Dipankar  ( Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA )
  • Fernandes, Jyotika  ( Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA )
  • Salinas, Carlos F.  ( Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA )
    • Oral Session
    Epidemiology/Oral Habits, Root Caries, and Orofacial Pain
    04/01/2009