Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the relationship of the Cariostat test (CAT 21 test)and salivary buffer test (CAT 21 Buf) to caries status in 173 preschool children.
The effectiveness of combination both tests was also investigated.
The following results were obtained; The caries prevalence and the mean df-teeth of the preschool children aged 6-years was 64.2% and 3.69, respectively.
2. The CAT 21 test and CAT 21 Buf test showed a significant correlation with the df-tooth (p<0.05).
3. The CAT 21 test score did not correlate to the CAT 21 Buf test.
4. When the CAT 21 test score was divided into two groups (low risk/high risk), the mean df-tooth showed a significant difference among the two groups (ANOVA p<0.001).
5. When the CAT 21 Buf score was divided into two (low risk/high risk), the mean df-tooth showed a difference between the two groups (ANOVA p<0.05).
When the CAT 21 test score and the CAT 21 Buf score were combined, the low-low risk group showed the lowest mean df-tooth. On the other hand, the high-high risk group showed the highest mean df-tooth (ANOVA p<0.01).
Based on these results, it is suggested that the CAT 21 test and the CAT 21 Buf test is useful for clinical application of preschool children. Futhermore, when the CAT 21 test and the CAT 21 Buf test were combined, a higher correlation was shown with the carious status.
