Dental caries and bone mineral density: a cross sectional study

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ABSTRACT

Aim

The relationship between bone mineral density (BMD), age and dental caries has been studied. Quantitative
ultrasonography (QUS) is an economic, non invasive, and reproducible method for measuring both bone mineral density and bone
elasticity in growing subjects in large populations.

Methods

This study evaluated the relationship between BMD and prevalence of
dental caries (Decayed Missing Filled Tooth - DMFT) in 540 healthy adolescent with mean age 12.3 years, age range 10 to 15 years,
resident in two provinces in south Italy. BMD was measured using QUS by calculating the speed of sound (m/s) on the last four fingers
of the non dominant hand, with the estimate thus obtained being defined as the AD-SoS (Amplitude-Dependent Speed of Sound and
categorised as AD-SoS1900m/s and AD-SoS>1900m/s). Occurrence of dental caries was defined using the DMFT index
(DMFT=0 and DMFT0).

Results

The results of the multifactorial analysis, carried out with logistic model, confirms the
expected statistically significant association between response (DMFT) and explicative variables - AD-SoS (P0.006) and Age
(P0.004).

Conclusion

Greater bone mineralisation (AD-SoS1900m/s) and younger age (Age >12 years) are dental
caries prevention factors: the probability to have caries for the subjects in such conditions is 0,34, about the half of that recorded in the
subjects with lower bone mineralisation and older age (0,62).

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