FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI KARIES GIGI PADA PASIEN DEWASA DI RUMAH SAKIT GIGI ROYAL PRIMA

Abstract

Dental caries is a non-communicable disease that remains a public health problem due to its clinical, social, and economic impacts. This study aims to analyze the relationship between oral hygiene habits and other determining factors with the incidence of dental caries in adult patients at the Royal Prima Dental and Oral Hospital in Medan in 2025. This study uses a quantitative observational analytical design with a cross-sectional approach. The study sample consisted of 79 adult patients selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire covering the frequency and technique of tooth brushing, use of fluoride toothpaste, use of dental floss, consumption of sugar or sweets, consumption of carbonated drinks, smoking habits, and frequency of visits to the dentist. In addition, clinical examinations were conducted to assess the status of caries, dental plaque, and gingivitis. Bivariate analysis used the Chi-Square test and multivariate analysis used logistic regression. The results showed that 55.7% of respondents had dental caries. Bivariate analysis showed several factors that were significantly associated with the incidence of caries, namely brushing teeth less than twice a day (p=0.012), improper brushing technique (p=0.031), not using fluoride toothpaste (p=0.041), irregular visits to the dentist (p=0.018), frequent consumption of sugar or sweets (p=0.004), consumption of carbonated drinks (p=0.022), presence of dental plaque (p<0.001), and gingivitis (p=0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that dental plaque was a dominant factor in the occurrence of caries (OR=3.90; 95% CI: 1.66–9.16; p=0.002). Thus, oral hygiene habits, sugar consumption, and plaque control are important factors in the prevention of caries in adult patients