Prevalence and predictors of dental erosion in school children of Karachi Pakistan

Aims: To assess the prevalence of dental erosion and to determine the predictors among school children aged between 12 to 14 years. Venue: A cross sectional study was conducted at a private school of Karachi, Pakistan from April 2011 till March 2012. Materials and Method: The subjects were selected on the basis of non-probability convenient sampling. Children aged 12-14 years were included for this study and children having frequent hospitalizations were excluded. The two previously calibrated examiners participated in the clinical examinations and visited the selected schools. The clinical examinations were performed in well-lit classrooms or in shaded places under natural light using plane mouth mirrors and sterilized cotton to remove debris. The central incisors, lateral incisors, and first molars in the upper and lower jaws were examined. Results: School children were assessed by O’sullivan index which showed dental erosion of 42.8% on labial or buccal surface, 9.7% on lingual or palatal surface, 7.4% on occlusal or incisal, 4% on labial, incisal/occlusal and 7% on lingual, incisal/occlusal surfaces. Grades of severity of dental erosion showed normal enamel in 43.1%, matt appearance of enamel surface with no loss of contour in 20.1% and loss of enamel only in 35.8% and loss of enamel with exposure of dentine in 1%. Conclusion: The study concludes that dental erosion is a multifactorial condition, which with time is becoming increasingly common in younger age group. As health providers it is our responsibility to identify the possible risk factors and make the community aware of the ways to prevent this condition.