Dental Caries distribution among Pueto Ricans aged 70 years and older in the Metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico

Dental caries is a common disease that causes pain and disability, and is believed to be caused by de-mineralization acid-producing mutans streptococci and lactobaccilis bacteria. Elderly are at high risk for caries, due to a combination of factors, such as poor oral hygiene, and restricted access to dental services. To date, no information has been published on the oral health status of elderly population in Puerto Rico, and the current dental caries prevalence is unknown. This study reports the caries distribution among a representative sample of non-institutionalized adults 70 years and older, living in the San Juan Metropolitan area. Methods: Individuals were selected from a large representative sample of participants of the on-going cohort study on Puerto Rican Elderly Health Conditions (PREHCO). In a comprehensive oral exam, the number of decayed, filled and missing surfaces (DMFS) was assessed in all teeth excluding third molars. Results: The average DMFS was 74.5, consisting of 2.9 decayed, 56.6 missing and 15.3 filled surfaces. Results indicate older Puerto Ricans have a higher number of DMFS (74.5), compared to the group of 75 years or more in the U.S (74.1). People with high school education or less had more decayed and missing surfaces, and less filled surfaces (p-value<0.05). Older adults with the government insurance had significantly less filled surfaces (p-value<0.001). Number of filled surfaces increased with higher income (p-value<0.001), while the number of decayed surfaces increased with age (p-value<0.05). In a multivariate model, the most predictive factor for DMFS was age (p-value<0.01).