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Dental caries in preschool children in Bilac, Brazil
Public Health (2005) 119, 556–557
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Dental caries in preschool children in Bilac, Brazil F.D.S. Fortea,*, R.J. Martinsb, S.A. Saliba Moimazb, C.A. das Saliba Garbinb, N.A. das Salibab a
˜o Galiza de Andrade 54, apto. 302, Banca ´rios, Joa ˜o Pessoa Paraı´ba, 58051-180, Brazil R. Joa Pos Graduation in Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Arac¸atuba Dental School, ˜o Paulo University, Rua, Jose ´ Bonifa ´cio, 1193, Vila Mendonc¸a, Arac¸atuba, Sa ˜ Sao Paulo 16015-050, Brazil b
Received 17 March 2004; received in revised form 23 July 2004; accepted 7 August 2004 Available online 28 December 2004
The incidence of dental decay has decreased in the world. Over the last 10 years, epidemiological studies in children aged 0–60 months in the Brazilian cities of Arac ¸atuba, Araraquara, Bauru, Brası´lia, Brası´lia, Diadema, Goia ˆnia, Juiz de Fora, Londrina, Natal and Piracicaba found the lowest incidence of caries in deciduous dentition in Goia ˆnia (13%) and the highest incidence in Natal (71%). These studies are important in order to plan future programmes and to evaluate the development pattern of caries in this age group, so that intervention with a preventive and/or restorative approach can be adopted. The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of tooth decay in children of both genders, aged 0–60 months, in Bilac, Sa ˜o Paulo State, Brazil, where the public water supply is not fluoridated. Tooth examinations were performed on the National Vaccination Day by a single examiner, trained and calibrated for the DMF (decayed, missing, filled) index, according to the diagnostic criteria described by the World Health Organization WHO (1997). Intra-examiner agreement for dental caries diagnosis was * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (F.D.S. Forte).
evaluated by means of the k coefficient (used in statistics as a means of testingrater independence and to quantify level of agreement), and was found to be good (kZ0.98). Dental caries in the primary dentition were diagnosed visually using a plane mouth mirror, following international standards established by the WHO1. All children aged 0–60 months living in Bilac who participated in the National Vaccination Day poliomyelitis campaign were examined (53% of the preschool population, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, in 1998); 53.2% were female and 46.8% were male. The data were analysed statistically, and a P value of !0.05 was considered to be significant. The parents or person responsible for the children authorized their participation in the study. From the 237 preschool children examined, 71.1% were free from caries. Prevalence of caries decreased with age, with rates of 95.52% from 0 to 12 months and 43.75% from 48 to 60 months. The mean dmf-t index was 1.10; the lowest value was seen in children aged 0–12 months (0.19) and the highest value was seen in children aged 36–48 months (2.39). This difference was statistically significant. Referring specifically to the dmf-t components, the most prevalent was ‘d’ (teeth with cavities) in all ages; for children aged 0–12
0033-3506/$ - see front matter Q 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Institute of Public Health.
Dental caries in preschool children in Bilac, Brazil months, ‘d’ (decayed) was 100, compared with 77.27% in children aged 48–60 months. The restoration treatment identified by the letter ‘f’ (filled) increased with age, starting in those aged 12–24 months. Although, this study found a low prevalence of dental decay, it is necessary to emphasize the necessity for developing programmes specifically for this age group that promote oral health. The results of this study are important for
557 planning the development of future programmes, and for helping to evaluate the pattern of distribution and the severity of caries in this population.
References 1. World Health Organization (WHO), 1997. Oral health survey: basic methods. 4 Edn. Geneva.
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Dental caries in preschool children in Bilac, Brazil F.D.S. Fortea,*, R.J. Martinsb, S.A. Saliba Moimazb, C.A. das Saliba Garbinb, N.A. das Salibab a
˜o Galiza de Andrade 54, apto. 302, Banca ´rios, Joa ˜o Pessoa Paraı´ba, 58051-180, Brazil R. Joa Pos Graduation in Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Arac¸atuba Dental School, ˜o Paulo University, Rua, Jose ´ Bonifa ´cio, 1193, Vila Mendonc¸a, Arac¸atuba, Sa ˜ Sao Paulo 16015-050, Brazil b
Received 17 March 2004; received in revised form 23 July 2004; accepted 7 August 2004 Available online 28 December 2004
The incidence of dental decay has decreased in the world. Over the last 10 years, epidemiological studies in children aged 0–60 months in the Brazilian cities of Arac ¸atuba, Araraquara, Bauru, Brası´lia, Brası´lia, Diadema, Goia ˆnia, Juiz de Fora, Londrina, Natal and Piracicaba found the lowest incidence of caries in deciduous dentition in Goia ˆnia (13%) and the highest incidence in Natal (71%). These studies are important in order to plan future programmes and to evaluate the development pattern of caries in this age group, so that intervention with a preventive and/or restorative approach can be adopted. The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of tooth decay in children of both genders, aged 0–60 months, in Bilac, Sa ˜o Paulo State, Brazil, where the public water supply is not fluoridated. Tooth examinations were performed on the National Vaccination Day by a single examiner, trained and calibrated for the DMF (decayed, missing, filled) index, according to the diagnostic criteria described by the World Health Organization WHO (1997). Intra-examiner agreement for dental caries diagnosis was * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (F.D.S. Forte).
evaluated by means of the k coefficient (used in statistics as a means of testingrater independence and to quantify level of agreement), and was found to be good (kZ0.98). Dental caries in the primary dentition were diagnosed visually using a plane mouth mirror, following international standards established by the WHO1. All children aged 0–60 months living in Bilac who participated in the National Vaccination Day poliomyelitis campaign were examined (53% of the preschool population, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, in 1998); 53.2% were female and 46.8% were male. The data were analysed statistically, and a P value of !0.05 was considered to be significant. The parents or person responsible for the children authorized their participation in the study. From the 237 preschool children examined, 71.1% were free from caries. Prevalence of caries decreased with age, with rates of 95.52% from 0 to 12 months and 43.75% from 48 to 60 months. The mean dmf-t index was 1.10; the lowest value was seen in children aged 0–12 months (0.19) and the highest value was seen in children aged 36–48 months (2.39). This difference was statistically significant. Referring specifically to the dmf-t components, the most prevalent was ‘d’ (teeth with cavities) in all ages; for children aged 0–12
0033-3506/$ - see front matter Q 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Institute of Public Health.
Dental caries in preschool children in Bilac, Brazil months, ‘d’ (decayed) was 100, compared with 77.27% in children aged 48–60 months. The restoration treatment identified by the letter ‘f’ (filled) increased with age, starting in those aged 12–24 months. Although, this study found a low prevalence of dental decay, it is necessary to emphasize the necessity for developing programmes specifically for this age group that promote oral health. The results of this study are important for
557 planning the development of future programmes, and for helping to evaluate the pattern of distribution and the severity of caries in this population.
References 1. World Health Organization (WHO), 1997. Oral health survey: basic methods. 4 Edn. Geneva.