Comparison of two dental caries risk assessment tools in peruvian children

Abstract

Caries risk assessment protocols and tools are helpful for evidence-based clinical decision making. Objective: To compare the dental caries risk using two assessment tools in Peruvian children aged 7 to 11 years. Material and Methods: 265 children from the Educational Institution (EI) Policía Nacional del Perú Juan Ingunza Valdivia were evaluated in 2019. The tools used to compare the risk of dental caries were the Reduced Cariogram and the Biological Caries Risk. The clinical examination was performed in a single time for both tools, evaluating oral hygiene and caries experience. Results: When using both tools, it was found that each one of the age groups have a different Caries Risk distribution than the other groups and this difference is statistically significant (p=0.001). When comparing both tools, a statistically significant difference was found between their diagnoses at the moderate and high-risk levels; however, diagnoses at the low level show agreement. Conclusion: There is a difference in the assessment of the level of risk between both tools, specifically at the moderate and high levels, with most of the children assessed at low risk levels.

Keywords

• dental caries susceptibility
• risk assessment
• dental caries
• clinical decision-making
• child
• peru