Differences in dental caries in 5-year-old children within and between adjacent districts on the South Coast of England

Abstract

Examination of the differences in caries patterns in 5-year-old children between adjacent English South Coast districts prompted a more specific study using larger samples in more discrete localities. Although the overall caries levels varied significantly between the two districts, no significant differences were found between two defined areas of social deprivation. The children in one area were predominantly of Indian or Pakistani background and in the other mainly white Caucasian and it is suggested that differences in caries experience are related to indicators of social deprivation, rather than ethnicity. Even in relatively affluent districts, where caries levels are no longer a general problem, the dental needs of vulnerable groups of children may remain unidentified within a more favourable overall picture, and thus unmet, unless specific areas are monitored closely taking into account indicators of social deprivation.