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. 2025 Jul 3;13(7):302.
doi: 10.3390/dj13070302.

Longitudinal Assessment of Dental Erosion in a Romanian Cohort of Young Adults: A Ten-Year Follow-Up Pilot Study

Andrea Bors  1 , Felicia Gabriela Beresescu  1 , Melinda Szekely  1
Affiliations

Longitudinal Assessment of Dental Erosion in a Romanian Cohort of Young Adults: A Ten-Year Follow-Up Pilot Study

Andrea Bors et al. Dent J (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of tooth structure from acid exposure. Its prevalence is rising globally, making it an important oral health concern. However, longitudinal data from Eastern Europe are scarce, especially in Romania. This pilot study aimed to assess the 10-year incidence of dental erosion in Romanian young adults and to compare clinical index scoring with digital scanning. Methods: A 10-year prospective study followed 540 Romanian adults (aged 18-30) selected with no erosive lesions at baseline (Basic Erosive Wear Examination BEWE = 0). Erosive wear was assessed at the 10-year follow-up using BEWE, with 40 participants also undergoing digital intraoral scanning to measure enamel loss (μm). Gender differences were analyzed. Chi-square tests, relative risk, and correlation analyses were performed. Results: After 10 years, 23.2% of participants developed dental erosion. Males exhibited a higher incidence than females (29.9% vs. 17.2%; RR = 1.74, p < 0.001). Among the scanned subset (n = 40), the mean enamel loss was 137 ± 79 µm, with greater wear on palatal vs. buccal surfaces (p = 0.002). BEWE scores were moderately correlated with digital enamel loss (r = 0.58, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Erosion progressed over time in this cohort, with males at higher risk. Digital scanning detected subtle enamel loss not captured by BEWE, indicating greater sensitivity to early changes. BEWE and digital methods provided complementary information; their combined use offers a more comprehensive assessment.

Keywords: BEWE index; Romanian cohort; diagnostic; digital dentistry; enamel wear; gender differences; intraoral scanning; lesions; longitudinal study; preventive dentistry.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flowchart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of total participants.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Gender-based incidence (p = 0.0006).
Figure 4
Figure 4
BEWE score distribution (no p-value, descriptive). Digital surface loss analysis (n = 40).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mean digitally measured enamel surface loss after 10 years (n = 40).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Distribution of mean enamel loss per participant over 10 years in the digital analysis subset (n = 40).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Correlation between BEWE score and digital enamel loss.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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