5-YEAR INCIDENCE RATES AND INTRAORAL DISTRIBUTION OF ROOT CARIES AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

The 5-year incidence and intraoral distribution of decayed and filled root surfaces were evaluated in 379 black and 323 white residents of N orth Carolina aged 65 and older. During the period of study, approxima tely 39% of blacks developed at least one root DFS compared with 52% f or whites (Wald chi(2) test, p = 0.062). When the results were calcula ted using the net root DFS increment, blacks did not have significantl y higher rates than whites over the 5-year study period (0.52 surfaces /person versus 0.42 surfaces/person, Survey Regression, n = 363, p = 0 .708). However, for blacks, the 5-year incidence density rate of root DFS was 0.26 per 60 surface-months at risk, and for whites the rate wa s 0.19 new root DFS per 60 surface-months (incidence density ratio = 1 .33, 95% CI = 1.01-1.76, p = 0.047). Intraoral distribution patterns f or root caries incidence revealed that the approximal surfaces of the anterior teeth were involved most frequently, particularly in the mand ible and maxilla in whites, followed in decreasing order by the buccal surfaces of the lower anteriors and the mesial surfaces of the upper anteriors in blacks. Although root caries incidence rates were obvious ly low, there were significant differences in the occurrence of caries between blacks and whites. The pattern of occurrence was similar for both races with root surface disease being concentrated in the approxi mal surfaces of the anterior teeth in a small proportion of affected i ndividuals, with whites presenting more filled root increments than bl acks. These findings suggest a need for more caries treatment in black s and increased monitoring of this population since they are at a high er risk for root caries.