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The Epidemiology Study on Non-Carious Cervical Lesions and Associated Risk Factors (ESCARCEL) was conducted among 3,187 dental patients aged 18 to 35 in the UK, Italy, France, Finland, Latvia and Estonia, who were examined by over 90 dentists in general practices.
To determine the prevalence of tooth wear, the researchers used the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE), a scoring system that grades the appearance or severity of wear on the teeth from no surface loss (0); initial loss of enamel surface texture (1); distinct defect, hard tissue loss (dentine) less than 50 per cent of the surface area (2); or hard tissue loss more than 50 per cent of the surface area (3).
According to Prof. David Bartlett, head of prosthodontics at King’s College London, tooth wear is a growing problem in Europe, as 26 per cent of the participants had a BEWE score of 2 and 27 per cent a score of 3, for example. However, there were large regional differences. In the UK, 47 per cent had a score of 2, but only 7 per cent had a BEWE score of 3. On the other hand, in Italy, almost 20 per cent had a score of 3, while 19 per cent had a score of 2. Latvia, Estonia and Finland had the lowest prevalence of a score of 3.
Overall, the researchers found that almost one-third (29.4 per cent) of young adults have erosive tooth wear. Tooth wear was significantly higher in the group of 26- to 35-year-olds than in the younger age group. Throughout the study population, heartburn, and the consumption of fresh fruit, fruit drinks and acidic foods in general were associated with an increased risk of wear. Managers had a higher risk of wear than did manual workers, as did those who lived in rural areas, Bartlett said.
Concerning dentine hypersensitivity, Prof. Nicola West, from the University of Bristol’s School of Oral and Dental Sciences, stated that hypersensitivity is another growing problem in Europe, as 42 per cent of the young patients reported having experienced some form of dentine hypersensitivity. Although many patients demonstrated good coping mechanisms for dealing with pain, 28 per cent felt that the pain significantly affected their lifestyle, as they avoided certain kinds of foods, for example. The prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity was highest in Italy (over 50 per cent) and lowest in Finland (less than 30 per cent). Again, heartburn and an acidic diet were identified as risk factors.
Surprisingly, no statistical difference was noted in this study between male and female participants for any of the subjects dealt with in the study. There was also no evidence that toothbrushing time or technique affected the results.
The research was supported by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline.
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