Further opportunities for digital imaging in dental epidemiology.

Dental epidemiological research permits accurate tracking of the prevalence and distribution of oral disease across population groups, enabling planning and evaluation of public health interventions and healthcare service provision. This first section of this paper aimed to review traditional assessment methods in dental epidemiology and to consider the methodological and logistical benefits provided by digital imaging, both generally and specifically in relation to an established dual-camera system. The remainder of this paper describes the results of a semi-structured examination of an image archive from previous research utilising a dual-camera system, exploring whether the diagnostic yield of the images might be increased.

Sugar before bed: a simple dietary risk factor for caries experience.

Unlabelled: Clinical care pathways have placed renewed emphasis on caries risk assessment and the ability to predict and prevent further disease. With diet considered a key factor in the development of caries, the level of caries risk posed by dietary habits, such as the frequency of intake and timing of free sugars is questioned.

Objective: To identify reliable and simple dietary risk factors for caries experience.

Prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in four English cities.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in four city-based populations using a robust photographic method with TF index reporting; and to record the aesthetic satisfaction scores of children in all four cities.

Basic Research Design: Cross sectional epidemiological survey (surveillance).

Participants: 1,904 children aged 11-14 years, in four English cities.

The association between social deprivation and the prevalence and severity of dental caries and fluorosis in populations with and without water fluoridation.

Background: To determine the association between social deprivation and the prevalence of caries (including caries lesions restricted to enamel) and enamel fluorosis in areas that are served by either fluoridated or non-fluoridated drinking water using clinical scoring, remote blinded, photographic scoring for caries and fluorosis. The study also aimed to explore the use of remote, blinded methodologies to minimize the effect of examiner bias.

Methods: Subjects were male and female lifetime residents aged 11-13 years.

Evaluating the use of fluorescent imaging for the quantification of dental fluorosis.

Background: The quantification of fluorosis using fluorescence imaging (QLF) hardware and stain analysis software has been demonstrated in selected populations with good correlation between fluorescent image metrics and TF Index scores from photographs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of QLF to quantify fluorosis in a population of subjects (aged 11-13) participating in an epidemiological caries and fluorosis survey in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities in Northern England.

Methods: Fluorescent images of the maxillary incisors were captured together with standardized photographs were scored blind for fluorosis using the TF Index.