[Unhealthy differences. Part II. Dental aspects].

In the seventies dental caries was present in almost all Dutch children. Nowadays the child population can be divided into two groups: children with no dental caries and children with a relatively high level of dental caries. The lowest percentage of caries free children is found in low SES (= Socio-economic Status) groups. Within the low SES group children of Turkish of Moroccan origin have a higher caries prevalence compared to the youngsters of Dutch origin. However, differences in the level of caries prevalence between children of Dutch and Turkish or Moroccan origin in recent years have declined. The level of oral health in children from risk groups seems to be due to irregular toothbrushing and consequently irregular use of fluoride toothpaste.