Caries Research最新文献

{"title":"Teaching Others, Reflecting Self: Does Educating Patients Impact Students' Own Plaque Control?","authors":"Katja Jung, Lukas Dübgen, Carolina Ganss","doi":"10.1159/000552192","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000552192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This retrospective exploratory study investigated whether instructing patients in oral hygiene influences dental students' own hygiene effectiveness.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Intraoral scans from a full-semester cohort of first-year clinical dental students (n = 30) were analysed. At baseline (T0), students performed mutual intraoral scans (CS 3600, Carestream) of disclosed plaque during scanner training. During the semester, they guided their own patients through an Oral Care Programme (OCP) including 3D plaque visualisation and hands-on oral hygiene training. At follow-up (T1), students repeated mutual disclosed-plaque scans. Plaque coverage (P%) was quantified planimetrically on oral (i.e., lingual and palatal) and vestibular (i.e., buccal and labial) surfaces from T0 and T1 of all teeth. Plaque distribution, areas of loss, gain, and stability were assessed. Unsupervised clustering was performed using P%, gain, loss, stable areas, tooth type, and surface as features.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean P% decreased from 14.6 ± 4.4 at T0 to 13.1 ± 3.7 at T1 (p = 0.025), but the magnitude of change was small; P% correlated strongly between time points (r = 0.690, p < 0.001), indicating largely stable individual plaque control profiles. Cluster analysis identified three patterns: (1) overall intermediate P%, predominantly on oral surfaces, (2) high overall P%, especially on vestibular molars and premolars, and (3) consistently low P%. Overall, plaque distribution and the spatiotemporal behaviour of plaque areas remained largely persistent.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Students showed only small reductions in plaque coverage over one semester, while interindividual patterns remained stable. Cluster-specific trajectories highlight heterogeneity in plaque control profiles and may help identify the tooth surfaces and regions where targeted feedback may be most effective. Future curricula should emphasise self-reflection, personalised feedback, and practical skills training.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13318261/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep Caries Management: EFCD-ESE-ORCA S3-Level Clinical Practice Guideline.","authors":"Falk Schwendicke, Esra Kosan, Avijit Banerjee, Aylin Baysan, Lars Bjørndal, Laura Ceballos, Henry F Duncan, Sascha Herbst, Klaus W Neuhaus, Anne C O Apos Connell, Sebastian Paris, Helena Dujic","doi":"10.1159/000551659","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551659","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this study was to develop an evidence-based S3-level clinical practice guideline for the management of deep and extremely deep caries in vital permanent teeth.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An evidence-based medical guideline based on systematically searched and appraised evidence as well as a structured consensus (S3-level) was jointly developed by the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry (EFCD), the European Society of Endodontology (ESE), the Organization for Caries Research (ORCA), and the German Society of Conservative Dentistry (DGZ), following the methodological framework of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) and the GRADE approach. Four working groups formulated key clinical questions regarding: (1) caries removal strategies, (2) cavity liners, (3) management of exposed pulps, and (4) materials for direct pulp capping and pulpotomy. Systematic reviews were conducted for each question, and evidence was synthesized and graded for quality. A structured consensus process was used to formulate recommendations. In order to encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible on Clinical Oral Investigations, International Endodontic Journal, and Caries Research journals' websites.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Evidence supports selective (SE) or stepwise caries removal (SW) over non-selective removal (NSE) to reduce the risk of pulp exposure in deep caries. Routine use of cavity liners after caries removal showed no consistent clinical benefit and is not routinely recommended. For vital pulp therapy following pulp exposure, both direct pulp capping and pulpotomy are effective options in teeth without irreversible pulpitis, while pulpotomy is an acceptable alternative to pulpectomy in cases with signs of irreversible pulpitis. Hydraulic calcium silicate cements demonstrated superior clinical outcomes compared to calcium hydroxide and should be preferred for pulp capping and pulpotomy. The certainty of evidence ranged from very low to moderate across questions and outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>For deep caries, maintaining pulp vitality by using less invasive management strategies is supported by current evidence. Implementation of this guideline requires clinician training, patient-centred decision-making, and consideration of economic and practical factors. Further research is needed, particularly for extremely deep caries and towards long-term outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13102370/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147763167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cost-Effectiveness of the Toddler Oral Health Intervention in Dutch Well-Baby Clinics: A Trial-Based Economic Evaluation.","authors":"Denise Leusink, Peggy C J M van Spreuwel, Geert J M G van der Heijden, Johanna Maria van Dongen, Cor van Loveren, Katarina Jerković-Ćosić","doi":"10.1159/000551783","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551783","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Early childhood caries (ECC) affects one in four Dutch 5-year olds and disproportionately impacts children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The Toddler Oral Health Intervention (TOHI) integrates oral health promotion into well-baby clinics, aiming to prevent ECC from the eruption of the first tooth. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of TOHI compared to care as usual (CAU) from a societal perspective, using caries reduction and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A trial-based economic evaluation was conducted alongside a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with approximately 3-3.5 years of follow-up (n = 353). Costs (intervention delivery, dental healthcare, parental travel, and productivity losses) were combined with clinical and utility outcomes to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Missing and skewed data were handled using multiple imputation and bootstrapping, respectively. Analyses were adjusted for maternal socioeconomic position.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TOHI reduced cavitated caries lesions (ICDAS ≥3) by 0.93 lesions per child at an incremental cost of EUR 93, resulting in an ICER of EUR 100 per lesion prevented compared to CAU. The probability of cost-effectiveness exceeded 80% at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of EUR 250 per lesion. TOHI also yielded a QALY gain of 0.01 per child, with an ICER of EUR 6,262 per QALY gained. The probability of cost-effectiveness for QALYs exceeded 80% at a WTP threshold of EUR 20,000 per QALY and increased to approximately 85% at EUR 40,000 per QALY. Sensitivity analyses supported the findings' robustness.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TOHI is a more costly, yet also more effective strategy for reducing ECC and improving quality of life within the Dutch well-baby clinic system. With a low upfront investment and ICER and a moderate to high probability of cost-effectiveness at a EUR 20,000 per QALY threshold, TOHI seems to represent good value for money. Future research should assess long-term cost-effectiveness, broader healthcare impacts, and scalability across healthcare settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13241072/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147527133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rethinking Diagnostic Performance Metrics in Imaging Artificial Intelligence: Lessons from Caries Detection on Radiographs.","authors":"Carolina Ganss, Kirstin Vach","doi":"10.1159/000551765","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551765","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Artificial intelligence (AI) systems for radiographic caries detection are commonly evaluated using a small set of performance metrics, yet these measures are frequently reported and interpreted without the contextual information required for clinically meaningful conclusions.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>This narrative review focuses on performance metrics - confusion-matrix measures (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, predictive values, F1 score and related summaries) and discrimination metrics (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the precision recall curve) - and discusses how their interpretation depends on explicit reporting of the disease definition (grading cut-offs), unit of analysis (tooth surface/patient), decision threshold(s), and prevalence/case-mix. We additionally cover complementary metric-based assessments, including calibration (calibration curves, expected calibration error, Brier score), decision-analytic metrics (decision curve analysis and cost-sensitive clinical loss), and robustness summaries (uncertainty and subgroup/worst-group performance). A structured summary is provided of formulae, interpretive limitations, and the minimum information that should accompany each metric to support transparent reporting, comparability, and transportability.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>AI-assisted radiographic caries detection cannot be judged by headline metrics alone; traditional performance measures should be reported with clear disease definitions, operating points, prevalence, and the clinical impact of false results. We provide a practical guide to improving the transparency, comparability and clinically meaningful interpretation of future studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13249415/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147519946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-Term Treatment Success Rate after Stepwise Caries Removal: A Registry Study.","authors":"Joy Malmberg, Anders Hedenbjörk-Lager","doi":"10.1159/000551560","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551560","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The objective of this study was to investigate the treatment success rate of teeth treated with stepwise caries removal procedure (SWP) using SKaPa registry data.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Study design was a retrospective analysis of longitudinal SKaPa database data. SWP treated teeth with a minimum of one follow-up visit was included (January 1, 2013-April 1, 2022). Teeth that had not been treated endodontically or extracted during the follow-up period was considered successful. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (p < 0.01) in combination with descriptive statistics was used for statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 111,771 teeth were included (50.7% women; 49.3% men). The most frequent tooth group was molars (71.5%). The results demonstrate a treatment success rate of over 60% after 110 months for teeth with deep caries lesions treated with SWP. Age was a statistically significant variable (p = 0.00) with increased survival rate for younger age-groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although SWP is performed on teeth with poor prognoses, the overall treatment success rate is over 60% after 9 years. Age, tooth group, localization, and caries risk are factors that could affect the outcome after SWP, with an improved prognosis for premolars, subjects under 40 years of age, and subjects with low or medium caries risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13171086/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147472812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low <italic>AMY1</italic> Gene Copy Numbers in Saliva Are Associated with Reduced Dental Caries Experience in Obese Adults.","authors":"Synnøve Bække, Natalia Petrenya, Berit Tommeras, Tracy Munthali Lunde, Elin Hadler-Olsen, Rania Al-Mahdi","doi":"10.1159/000551203","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551203","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Evidence suggests that a low copy number (CN) (2-3) of the α-amylase 1 gene (AMY1) may reduce the risk of dental caries, although findings remain inconsistent. Variations observed between studies could potentially be explained by the modulation of third factors, such as obesity, which may amplify the cariogenic potential of high AMY1 CN. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between AMY1 gene CN variation (CNV) and dental caries experience, assessed with the Decayed and Filled Surfaces (DFS) index in young adults, and whether this association varied by obesity status.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 597 participants (52.4% female, aged 26-29 years) from the Norwegian Fit Futures 3 study (2021-2022) were included. Salivary AMY1 CN was measured using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥30 kg/m2. We analysed AMY1 CN as both continuous and categorical variables (2-3 [17%], 4-6 [53%], and 7-14 [30%] CN) using logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Although AMY1 CN alone was not associated with DFS, its interaction with obesity was significant (p = 0.036). Among obese individuals, a one-unit increase in AMY1 CN raised the probability of DFS ≥9 by 4.7 percentage points, with no association observed in non-obese individuals. In obese participants (n = 103), sex-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for DFS ≥9 were as follows: OR 1.25 (95% CI: 1.02-1.53) per unit increase in AMY1 CN; OR 3.47 (95% CI: 1.23-9.79) for 4-6 versus 2-3 CN, and OR 4.48 (95% CI: 1.35-14.89) for 7-14 versus 2-3 CN.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study found that AMY1 gene CN alone was not directly associated with dental caries in young adults. However, obesity was identified as an effect modifier in the relationship between salivary AMY1 CNV and dental caries experience. Specifically, dental caries experience was higher in obese individuals with above-average AMY1 CN. These findings highlight the complex interplay between genetic, metabolic, and behavioural factors in dental caries development. Further research is needed to confirm these results and to explore the underlying mechanisms of this interaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147389645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in Socioeconomic Inequalities of Dental Caries Experience among 12-Year-Olds in Chile: An Ecological Cohort Study.","authors":"Mariél de Aquino Goulart, Jorge Celis-Dooner, Fanny Petermann-Rocha, David I Conway, Andrés Celis, Alex D McMahon","doi":"10.1159/000551081","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent dental caries remain a major public health concern, even in countries with declining overall prevalence. Chile provides a unique setting to examine these inequalities nationally and assess the potential mitigating role of systemic fluoride delivery programmes. This study aimed to address these gaps by providing a national analysis of dental caries trends among 12-year-olds in Chile from 2009 to 2023 and investigate socioeconomic inequalities in dental caries experience between municipalities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This ecological cohort study analysed 1,261,690 dental examinations of 12-year-olds across 325 Chilean municipalities from 2009 to 2023, representing 99.8% of eligible national records. Caries prevalence was modelled against area socioeconomic deprivation (IDSE deciles), adjusting for rurality and systemic fluoride delivery programmes, and weighting for number of total examinations by municipality/year. Inequality metrics included absolute rate difference (ARD), Slope Index of Inequality (SII), and Relative Index of Inequality (RII).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During the study period, a strong and persistent socioeconomic gradient was observed: adolescents in the most deprived municipalities had a 17-percentage-point higher caries prevalence than those in the least deprived (β = -0.17, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -0.20, -0.14). This gradient followed a dose-response pattern and was confirmed by summary measures (ARD = 0.151; RRR = 1.234). Temporal analysis revealed peak inequality pre-2018 (SII = 0.17, 95% CI: -0.20, -0.14), followed by a steady decline post-2018, reaching statistically nonsignificant levels by 2023 (SII = 0.04, 95% CI: -0.15, 0.06). Fluoridation programmes modestly attenuated the deprivation gradient by 24% (β = -0.13), though they explained limited variance (ΔR2 = 0.04).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Socioeconomic inequalities in dental caries among Chilean adolescents remain substantial, despite national declines in prevalence. While systemic fluoridation contributes to modest reductions in inequality, structural determinants are the primary drivers of persistent inequalities.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13048718/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147275947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Caries Detection and Clinical Decision-Making: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Dilek Sezen-Hulsmans, Tatiana Pereira-Cenci, Rutger E Sonneveld, Bas A C Loomans, Maximiliano S Cenci","doi":"10.1159/000550238","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000550238","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Artificial intelligence (AI) support is expected to increase accuracy and improve treatment plans in dentistry. Nevertheless, AI's ability to promote better oral healthcare is underexplored. This scoping review explores the influence of AI in supporting dental professionals with caries detection and decision-making regarding interventions.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Primary articles indexed on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched until August 2025. Studies reporting the differences between participants' caries diagnosis process and decision-making with and without AI were included. Studies only reporting algorithm accuracy, in vitro studies, or studies without an outcome related to caries detection with AI support were excluded. No time and language limits were imposed. Outcomes regarding the influence of AI on the diagnostics process and decision-making were retrieved and narratively summarised.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>Thirteen publications were included. Number of participants ranged from 3 to 74, comprising dentists with varying experience and expertise and dental students. Results showed that AI enhances sensitivity, though its impact on specificity varies (10 studies). AI can promote unnecessary interventions for early-stage caries lesions (1 study). AI increased assessment time in two out of three cases (3 studies). AI's cost-effectiveness is uncertain, as greater sensitivity did not lead to better economic outcomes (1 study). In conclusion, AI has the potential to improve diagnostics and influence treatment choices, but current evidence is limited and inconsistent regarding its impact on specificity, decision quality, and cost-effectiveness. Longitudinal studies in clinical settings with long-term follow-ups are needed to understand AI's impact on decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12965728/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146104159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Framing Fluoride Information on Social Media: A Cross-Language and Cross-Platform Analysis.","authors":"Constanza E Fernández, Cristina Sáez-Villavicencio, Maitte Bravo-Lovera, Millaray Meza-Manríquez, José A Vergara-Muñoz, Juan Sebastian Lara","doi":"10.1159/000550777","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000550777","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Few health topics are as controversial as fluoride, and social media has become a powerful arena where health information and misinformation circulate and compete for attention. This study systematically examined fluoride-related posts across two major platforms (Instagram® and X™) in English and Spanish.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a standardized approach, we identified the first 200 publicly available posts related to fluoride and health on each platform and language (n = 800 total). Posts were analyzed in duplicate, assessing perception (positive, negative, neutral), accuracy (accurate or non-accurate), format, account type, among others.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results revealed differences across language and platform. Spanish-language content was generally more accurate and conveyed a more positive tone, while English-language posts, particularly on X™, showed a higher prevalence of alarmist narratives. Engagement patterns varied by tone, post format, and account type. Negative posts attracted more likes overall. Post written in Spanish generated lower engagement. Carousel and photo-video formats and professional accounts received substantially greater interaction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings provide empirical evidence that language, source, and format strongly influence the reach and resonance of fluoride posts. They also suggest that multilingual strategies using engaging formats and credible professional voices can enhance the impact of evidence-based fluoride communication and counter misinformation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146092297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dental Caries and Systemic Inflammation in Adolescents: Findings from a Population-Based Study.","authors":"Susilena Arouche Costa, Cecilia Claudia Costa Ribeiro, Aretha Lorena Fonseca Cantanhede Carneiro, Luciano Tavares Ângelo Cintra, Cláudia Maria Coelho Alves, Érika Barbara Abreu Fonseca Thomaz, Soraia De Fátima Carvalho Souza","doi":"10.1159/000550646","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000550646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Dental caries, the most prevalent noncommunicable disease (NCD) in adolescence, may represent a hidden link to systemic inflammatory processes, a common underlying mechanism shared by all major NCDs. Accordingly, this study investigated whether dental caries was associated with systemic inflammatory burden in adolescents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This population-based study utilized data from the RPS Brazilian Birth Cohort Consortium, specifically the 18-19-year follow-up conducted in São Luís, Brazil (n = 441). The main exposures included the visible plaque index (VPI), number of decayed teeth, DMFT index (decayed, missing, and filling), and PUFA index. The outcome was the allostatic inflammatory load, calculated as the sum of biomarkers - IL-6, IL-18, IL-1β, TNF-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP) - that fell within the high-risk range (≥75th percentile of the sample distribution). Each biomarker contributed one point, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 5. Crude and adjusted coefficients were estimated using regression models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of decayed teeth (β = 0.031, p = 0.015) and the VPI (β = 0.006, p = 0.001) were positively associated with higher allostatic inflammatory load scores. Among individual biomarkers, both the number of decayed teeth (β = 8.95, SE = 4.09, p = 0.02) and the VPI (β = 1.09, SE = 0.50, p = 0.03) were positively associated with IL-18 levels, whereas no significant associations were observed for the DMFT or PUFA indices (p > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Dental caries was associated with systemic inflammation in adolescence, possibly reflecting shared underlying risk factors and highlighting the relevance of integrating oral health into strategies addressing common risk factors for non-communicable diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":9620,"journal":{"name":"Caries Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146084293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}