ASSOCIATION BETWEEN UNTREATED CARIES AND AGE, GENDER AND DENTAL ATTENDANCE IN ADULTS

The aim of the study was to examine the association between untreated caries on the crown and root of the tooth with the age, gender and den tal attendance in a group of adult. Six general practitioners in the G reater Manchester area agreed to take part. Over a 6-week period they collected clinical and personal data on 270 of their adult patients. N o association was found between the mean number of coronal surfaces wi th caries and age; however, there was more root caries in people over 55 yr. More recurrent caries associated with a restoration was diagnos ed than primary caries. There were proportionally more female than mal e regular attenders, and once attendance has been taken into account t here were no gender differences for either coronal or root caries. Bot h coronal and root caries were associated with attendance, with irregu lar attenders experiencing more. Irregular attenders were three and a half times more likely to have caries on the root surfaces than regula r attenders.