H D Sgan-Cohen1, D Amram-Liani, A Livny. 1. Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel. harolds@cc.huji.ac.il
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study caries levels and related variables among first grade and fourth grade schoolchildren in one Jerusalem geographic region in 2005, and possible changes in caries levels over three decades: the 1980s, 1990s and finally in 2005. METHODS: Dental caries was examined, within schools, employing the DMFS and defs indices, for permanent and deciduous teeth respectively. RESULTS: Data indicate a consistent decline in disease: a reduction from 1.64 to 0.32 to 0.16 for DMFS, and 13.95 to 8.09 to 5.07 for defs (1983, 1992, 2005, respectively), among first grade children; and from 3.50 to 2.50 to 1.07 for DMFS, and 13.88 to 7.26 to 4.16 for defs, (1983, 1992, 2005, respectively), among fourth grade children. CONCLUSIONS: A consistent decrease in caries has been detected over three decades. Specific causal factors were not ascertained.
OBJECTIVE: To study caries levels and related variables among first grade and fourth grade schoolchildren in one Jerusalem geographic region in 2005, and possible changes in caries levels over three decades: the 1980s, 1990s and finally in 2005. METHODS: Dental caries was examined, within schools, employing the DMFS and defs indices, for permanent and deciduous teeth respectively. RESULTS: Data indicate a consistent decline in disease: a reduction from 1.64 to 0.32 to 0.16 for DMFS, and 13.95 to 8.09 to 5.07 for defs (1983, 1992, 2005, respectively), among first grade children; and from 3.50 to 2.50 to 1.07 for DMFS, and 13.88 to 7.26 to 4.16 for defs, (1983, 1992, 2005, respectively), among fourth grade children. CONCLUSIONS: A consistent decrease in caries has been detected over three decades. Specific causal factors were not ascertained.