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Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Liang, J; Wu, B; Plassman, B; Bennett, J; Beck, J
Published in: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol
December 2013

OBJECTIVES: This study charted the trajectories of dental caries, including decayed teeth, missing teeth and filled teeth among older Americans over a 5-year period. In particular, it focused on racial differences in the levels of and rates of change in dental caries experience. METHODS: Data came from the Piedmont Dental Study. The sample included 810 older Americans who were dentate at the baseline with up to 4 repeated observations between 1988 and 1994. Hierarchical linear models were employed in depicting intrapersonal and interpersonal differences in dental caries experience. RESULTS: Different measures of caries outcomes exhibited distinct trajectories. On average, the number of decayed teeth decreased over time, whereas missing teeth increased. In contrast, the number of filled teeth remained stable during a 5-year period. Relative to their white counterparts, older black Americans had more decayed teeth and missing teeth but fewer filled teeth. Blacks and whites differed in the levels of dental caries but not in their rates of change except for missing teeth. Even when demographic and socioeconomic attributes were adjusted, racial variations in dental caries experience remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although significantly correlated, various dental caries outcomes move along different paths over time. In view of the persistent racial disparities in dental caries trajectories, future interventions to minimize such variations among older Americans in the levels of and the rates of change in dental caries experience are clearly warranted.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Community Dent Oral Epidemiol

DOI

EISSN

1600-0528

Publication Date

December 2013

Volume

41

Issue

6

Start / End Page

517 / 525

Location

Denmark

Related Subject Headings

  • White People
  • Tooth Loss
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Racial Groups
  • North Carolina
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Health Status Disparities
  • Female
  • Dentistry
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Liang, J., Wu, B., Plassman, B., Bennett, J., & Beck, J. (2013). Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 41(6), 517–525. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12045
Liang, Jersey, Bei Wu, Brenda Plassman, Joan Bennett, and James Beck. “Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience.Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 41, no. 6 (December 2013): 517–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12045.
Liang J, Wu B, Plassman B, Bennett J, Beck J. Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2013 Dec;41(6):517–25.
Liang, Jersey, et al. “Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience.Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, vol. 41, no. 6, Dec. 2013, pp. 517–25. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/cdoe.12045.
Liang J, Wu B, Plassman B, Bennett J, Beck J. Racial disparities in trajectories of dental caries experience. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2013 Dec;41(6):517–525.
Journal cover image

Published In

Community Dent Oral Epidemiol

DOI

EISSN

1600-0528

Publication Date

December 2013

Volume

41

Issue

6

Start / End Page

517 / 525

Location

Denmark

Related Subject Headings

  • White People
  • Tooth Loss
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Racial Groups
  • North Carolina
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Health Status Disparities
  • Female
  • Dentistry