Factors associated with root caries in Hong Kong institutionalized elderly

Objectives: To identify risk factors associated with root caries in Hong Kong institutionalized elderly. Materials and Methods: Oral examinations were carried out on institutionalized elderly aged 60-89 years who had at least five teeth with exposed root surfaces by one trained examiner. The presence of visible plaque, denture contact, active root caries and the amount of gingival recession were recorded on four surfaces per tooth. Chi-square tests were performed to assess the correlation between root caries and the other three variables. Results: In this study, 307 institutionalized elderly in 22 homes for the aged were examined. No statistically significant associations (p>0.05) were found between the presence of active root caries and the presence of visible plaque and the amount of gingival recession. A statistically significant association (p<0.05) was found between the presence of active root caries and contact with denture components (e.g. major connector, minor connectors, and clasps) in most of the tooth surfaces. Conclusion: The presence of denture contact may be a risk factor for root caries in the Hong Kong institutionalized elderly. Acknowledgement: Study supported by a grant from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (HKU 7244/02M).