An assessment of the association between the intensity of dental caries and nutritional characteristics in the adult and elderly population in Arkhangelsk region: cross-sectional population study

Abstract: Studies in different countries have demonstrated the association of dental caries with food consumption. Associations of dental caries with nutritional characteristics of adults and the elderly in the European North of Russia have not been sufficiently studied.

The aim: To investigate the association between caries intensity and nutritional characteristics in the adult and elderly population of the Arkhangelsk region.

Material and methods: We assessed the dental profile of 1586 participants of the ESSE-RF3 observational cross-sectional study (35–74 years), from whom data on the frequency of consumption of various food and beverage products were collected. The condition of the hard tissues of the teeth was assessed using the method of the European Bureau of WHO and recorded using the DMFT index (the sum of decay, missing and filled teeth). To assess the associations between the DMFT index and the consumption frequency for various food products, we used univariate and multiple linear regressions with adjustment for age, education, income level, occupation, marital status, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

 Results. A decrease in the DMFT index was observed with an increase in the frequency of consumption of fresh and cooked vegetables (p_trend<0.001). The intensity of caries in individuals who consumed bakery products daily or almost daily was 1.8 higher than in those who consumed these products less than once a week (p=0.026). The latter was consistent with an increase in caries intensity with increasing frequency of consuming bakery products (p_trend<0.006). The caries intensity decreased with an increase in consumption of drinking water (p_trend=0.008). The DMFT index in those who consumed black tea more than 3 times a day was 2.7 higher than in those who did not consume this beverage (p<0.001).

Conclusion. In residents of the Arkhangelsk region aged 35–74 years, relatively low caries intensity was associated with a high frequency of vegetables and drinking water consumption, the increased intensity – with frequent consumption of bakery products and black tea. The results obtained should be taken into account when developing population and individual programs for caries prevention in adult and elderly people.