The Prevalence of Tooth Wear among a Group of Yemeni Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed at investigating tooth wear prevalence and determining the associated factors among adults aged 20 to 50 years in Yemen. Materials and methods: It was a cross-sectional and analytical investigation conducted on 600 participants aged 20–50 years. The participants were divided into two equal groups (300 males and 300 females); 50% were taken from Sana'a city and 50% from Aden city. Interviews were conducted with all participants before examination to complete a questionnaire. Tooth wear was assessed using the Tooth Wear Index (TWI). Data were analyzed using the chi-square test to identify the relationship between tooth wear and associated factors. Result: A total of 472 participants (78.6%) showed tooth wear, with a rate of 64.83% for anterior teeth, 63.83% for posterior teeth, 74% for maxillary teeth, and approximately 74.5% for mandibular teeth. In the 20–30 age group, tooth wear prevalence was 67.2%, and it was 100% in the 31–40 and 41–50 age groups. It was significantly higher in the 31–40 and 41–50 age groups than in the 20–30 age group (p < 0.001). Khat chewing, location, highly frequent consumption of foods and high frequency of acidic drinks were critical indicators of tooth wear. Low education level, smoking and low socioeconomic status were associated with tooth wear. Conclusion: A high prevalence of tooth wear was observed in Yemeni adults, and socio-behavioral risk indicators were associated with tooth wear.