Dental Caries And Dietary Factors In Northern Russian Adults

To assess associations between dental caries and dietary factors among adults in the European North of Russia In the ESSE-RF3 cross-sectional study, dental status of 1586 residents of Arkhangelsk region aged 35 to 74 years was assessed using WHO criteria. The condition of dental hard tissues was recorded using the DMFT index. Information on dietary factors was collected using a food frequency questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were used to assess the associations between DMFT index and food consumption frequencies (categories ranging from “never” to “daily”) with adjustment for age, education, income, occupation, marital status, smoking, and alcohol consumption. In participants with daily consumption of fresh and cooked vegetables, DMFT index was 15.5, with consumption once a week – 18.6 (ptrend < 0.001), with daily consumption of bakery products, the caries experience was 16.6, with consumption once a week – 14.8 (ptrend = 0.006). In participants who drank water more than 3 times a day, the caries experience was 15.3, in those reported not drinking water – 18.6 (ptrend = 0.008). The DMFT index in those who drank black tea more than 3 times a day was 17.4, which was 2.7 higher than in those who did not drink this beverage (p<0.001). In the adult population of the European North of Russia, lower caries experience was associated with higher frequency of vegetable consumption and water drinking. The increased experience was associated with frequent consumption of bakery products and black tea.