It’s a risky business: Understanding Your Risk of Dental Cavities [Update 2024]

Originally published September 16, 2015 as “It's a Risky Business.”  

What is your risk of developing dental cavities (also known as dental caries)? When it comes to creating a plan to lower your risk of caries, one size definitely does not fit all. Before delving into the discussion of the six-step caries management system, it's crucial to determine your individual risk of experiencing caries. You may fall into categories such as low risk, moderate risk, high risk, or extreme risk, and the approach to each risk category varies. So the question arises, “What is your risk?”

Assessing Your Risk Level

A “yes” answer to any of the following factors places you at risk of dental caries. The more “yes” answers, the higher your risk:

• Do you notice plaque build-up on your teeth between brushings?
• Do you take medications daily?
• Do you feel like you have a dry mouth at any time of the day or night?
• Do you drink liquids other than water more than 2 times daily between meals?
• Do you snack between meals?
• Do you have any oral appliances present? (retainer, nightguard, partial denture, etc)
• Do any of these other health concerns apply to you?
  • Frequent tobacco use
  • Acid reflux
  • Diabetes
  • Head/neck radiation therapy
  • Other drug use
  • Bulimia
  • Sjogren's syndrome

Statistical Insights: Prevalence and Risk Factors for Dental Cavities

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the prevalence of dental caries and untreated decay in specific age groups and the impact of these factors are as follows:

• Prevalence of Tooth Loss: The estimated global average prevalence of complete tooth loss is almost 7% among people aged 20 years or older. For people aged 60 years or older, a much higher global prevalence of 23% has been estimated [3].
• Untreated Dental Caries: The percentage of adults ages 20-44 with untreated dental caries was 25.9% and 25.3% for adults ages 45-64 in the United States from 2015-2018 [1].
• Dental Visits: Around 64.1% of adults age 18 and older had a dental exam or cleaning in the past year as per the 2022 National Health Interview Survey [1].

*You might also be interested in “How to Stop Gum Disease: Why You Should Brush Twice a Day.”

Developing a Personalized Plan

The good news is that once we've determined your risk, we can devise a plan using the six-step management system that will reduce your risk. I'll begin outlining those six steps in my next blog. In the meantime, you might enjoy this funny video that shows what happens when no risk assessment is performed.

Life without risk assessment

Thanks for reading my blog, and stay tuned for more valuable insights on managing your dental health.

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References:
[1] Oral and Dental Health – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[2] Genetics and Oral Health | American Dental Association
[3] Oral health – World Health Organization (WHO)