Medical and Health Studies Board Faculty of Dentistry

Abstract

preventive and invasive dental procedure have improved in the last two decayed, leading to a greater longevity of teeth. As a result, teeth are more this descriptive cross-sectional study which is considered the first in Sudan was to susceptible to periodontal diseases and consequently, root caries. The purpose of determine the prevalence of root caries among Sudanese population of Khartoum state and to determine the factors that associated with it. The factors discussed in this study were, gender, age, marital status, education level, income, site, presence of recession, pain, sensitivity, snuff using, number of decayed crowns , systemic disease , drugs use, sugar intake , and oral hygiene habit (brushing). The sample was taken from five centers in Khartoum State (Khartoum Dental Hospital, Omdurman Hospital (dental clinic,), Bahri Hospital (dental clinic), Faculty of dentistry U of K and College of science and technology (Dental teaching hospital). Clinical examination was carried out on 533 patients at age ranging between 35-75 years old. The collected data analyzed to determine, whether the prevalence of root caries varied between the factors mentioned above. The results showed that prevalence of root caries was (19.1%) and it was more frequent in males (20.6%) than in females (18.2%) (P=0.00). The prevalence of root caries was found to be increased in mandible (2.1%) more than maxilla (1.7%) (P=0.00). In regard to tooth surface the root caries was found to by more frequent in buccal surface (1.7%) followed by distal surface (1.1%) then the mesial surface (0.8%) and the lingual or palatal / surface (0.2%) were the least (P=0.00). Also the result showed that age effect on root surface was of statistical significance (P=0.00). And found that the oldest group had a high prevalence (34.2% for 65 – 75 years of old group). The result found that there were relation between root caries and recession (P=0.00), Number of decayed crowns (P=0.04), and sensitivity (P=0.00). On the other hand the analysis showed that no relation between root caries and gender (P=0.50), marital status (P=0.46), education level (P=0.16), income (P=0.13), pain (P=0.40), systemic disease (P=0.31), tobacco use (0.40), sugar intake (P=0.13) and oral hygiene habit (brushing) (P=0.92).