ADA Caries Risk Criteria

 

• Guidelines for classifying your patients to be low, moderate, or high caries risk
• Includes disease indicators and risk factors
• Adult and children's guidelines

 

When the ADA's recommending it, you know it's standard of care!

Patients should be evaluated using caries risk criteria such as those below.

Low caries risk

All age groups

No incipient or cavitated primary or secondary carious lesions during the last three years and no factors that may increase caries risk*.

Moderate caries risk

Younger than 6 years

No incipient or cavitated primary or secondary carious lesions during the last three years but presence of at least one factor that may increase caries risk*.

Older than 6 years (any of the following)

One or two incipient or cavitated primary or secondary carious lesions in the last three years.

No incipient or cavitated primary or secondary carious lesions in the last three years but presence of at least one factor that may increase caries risk*.

High caries risk

Younger than 6 years (any of the following)

Any incipient or cavitated primary or secondary carious lesions during the last three years.

Presence of multiple factors that may increase caries risk*.

Low socioeconomic status**.

Suboptimal fluoride exposure.

Xerostomia***.

Older than 6 years (any of the following)

Three or more incipient or cavitated primary or secondary carious lesions in the last three years.

Presence of multiple factors that may increase caries risk*.

Suboptimal fluoride exposure.

Xerostomia***.

*Factors increasing risk of developing caries also may include, but are not limited to, high titers of cariogenic bacteria, poor oral hygiene, prolonged nursing (bottle or breast), poor family dental health, developmental or acquired enamel defects, genetic abnormality of teeth, many multi-surface restorations, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, eating disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, irregular dental care, cariogenic diet, active orthodontic treatment, presence of exposed root surfaces, restoration overhangs and open margins, and physical or mental disability with inability or unavailability of performing proper oral health care.

** On the basis of findings from population studies, groups with low socioeconomic status have been found to have an increased risk of developing caries.  In children too young for their risk to be based on caries history, low socioeconomic status should be considered as a caries risk factor.

*** Medication-, radiation- or disease-induced xerostomia.