Statistical Models for Dental Caries Data

Tooth decay is ubiquitous among humans and is one of the most prevalent oral diseases. Although this condition is largely preventable, more than half of all adults over the age of eighteen present early signs of the disease, and at some point in life about three out of four adults will develop the disease. Tooth decay is also common among children as young as five and remains the most common chronic disease of children aged five to seventeen years. It is estimated that tooth decay is four times more prevalent than asthma in childhood (Todem, 2008). Tooth decay and its correlates such as poor oral health place an enormous burden on the society. Poor oral health and a propensity to dental caries have been related to decreased school performance, poor social relationships and less success later in life. It is estimated that about 51 million school hours per year are lost in the U.S. alone because of dental-related illness. In older adults, tooth decay is one of the leading causes of tooth loss which has a dramatic impact on chewing ability leading to detrimental changes in food selection. This, in turn, may increase the risk of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.