Asociación entre las variables del Cariograma e historia de caries en la población de 15 a 64 años de la comuna de Tortel, provincia del Capitán Prat de la xi Región de Aysén, Chile: análisis multivariable

Introduction

Dental caries represent a public health problem in both urban and rural areas of our Chile.

A simple method to evaluate cariogenic risk is the Cariogram. This consists of a computer program that measures etiological factors of dental caries disease, and shows graphically the potential cariogenic risk of a patient, providing information that allows prevention and treatment strategies to be implemented.

Objectives

This study aims to establish the association between Cariogram variables and history of dental caries in the population aged 15 to 64 years from Tortel Commune, XI region, Chile.

Materials and methods

Observational-analytical, cross-sectional study of a sample of 173 individuals.

The information was obtained by analysis of clinical records and Cariogram. The variables were analyzed by multiple linear regression (MLR) and logistic regression (LR) using Stata 11.0 statistical program.

Results

MLR analysis shows a significant relationship in model 1 (which only includes variables from the Cariogram Program, except for the use of fluoride) between Cariogram variables and history of dental caries, related diseases (P = .032), experience of caries (P = 0) and diet content (P = .031). In model 3 (the variable “age” is added), there is a significant relationship between history of caries and experience of caries (P = 0), gender (P = .007), and age (P = 0).

The LR showed a statistically significant relationship between history of caries > 10 and experience of caries (P = .002) in Model 1, and with age (P = 0) in model 3.

Conclusions

There is significant relationship between experience of caries, gender and age with history of caries > 10. Based on these results, the older the individual, the more accumulated damage can be found. This relationship was also found between experience of caries, related diseases and diet content with history of dental caries, when the age variable is not included in the model.