Caries experience among children in Copenhagen

Abstract

abstractThe study was undertaken in order to identify and characterize high and low caries risk groups at 7 years of age, the classification of risk groups being based on the total sum of the children's past caries activity. A stratified sample of 293 children was drawn from among the pupils of the municipal schools in Copenhagen. The clinical examination comprised determination of the DMF score for the mixed dentition, and assessments of plaque, gingivitis and dental calculus. Through interviews, background information was obtained about the children's social group, frequency of toothbrushing, dental knowledge, sweet consumption, and about parent's supervision of the children's toothbrushing. The results showed that the retrospectively caries active half of the children had had about four times as many tooth surfaces filled or extracted as the caries inactive half. A total of 89 children (30.4%) had four or fewer DMF(dmf) surfaces while for 56 children (19.1 %) the DMF(dmf)S score was higher than 22. When these extreme groups were compared, the caries inactive children proved to have less plaque and gingivitis, and their toothbrushing was more often supervised by their parents than was the case among caries active children. The conclusions were that caries active children can be identified at 7 years of age and that activating the parents to participate in their children's oral home care might give positive results in future caries preventive programs.