Prevalence of dental erosion among 18-year-old adolescents in the borderland districts of Lviv (Ukraine) and Lublin (Poland)

Introduction and objective. Recent epidemiological studies have shown an association between dental erosion occurrence and changes in lifestyle and dietary habits in both developed and developing countries, and now affects different regions of the world. Furthermore, in current literature, studies have shown that the prevalence of erosive tooth wear has increased particularly among the younger population. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and severity of erosive tooth wear among 18-year-old adolescents in the districts of Lviv (Ukraine) and Lublin (Poland). Materials and methods. College students (254 subjects) aged 18, living in the Lviv and Lublin districts were examined. Erosive lesions presented in the teeth were assessed on the basis of the BEWE (Basic Erosive Wear Examination) index. Results. Among the 137 patients living in the Lublin district, 70 were females and 67 were males, while in the Lviv district, 60 women and 57 men were examined. In both districts, the following numbers of rural patients were examined: 66 in Lublin district and 56 in Lviv district; for urban inhabitants, the numbers were 71 in Lublin and 61 in Lviv. Analysing the BEWE values, it was noted that higher BEWE values, and resulting from them significant differences were observed in both male and female groups living in Lublin, compared with Lviv inhabitants. Based on clinical examination and statistical analysis, the occurrence of lesions of an erosive character in at least one sextant were observed in 59.85% of patients from Lublin district, and in 42.74% of patients from Lviv district. Conclusions. On the basis of the conducted study in the Polish and Ukrainian groups of 18-year-old adolescents living on the borderland, it can be stated that dental erosion is a problem noticeable in both groups of cohorts, but with higher prevalence in the Lublin district.