Dental caries experience and oral cleanliness of Asian and white Caucasian children aged 5 and 6 years attending primary schools in Glasgow and Trafford, UK.

The aim of this study was to compare the dental caries experience and oral cleanliness of Asian and white Caucasian children aged 5 and 6 years attending multi-racial schools in Trafford (Greater Manchester) and Greater Glasgow. In 1989 all schools having at least 25 per cent of per cent of pupils from an Asian background participated in the study. Although the white children in Trafford had a higher caries experience (dmft = 3.29) than those in Glasgow (dmft = 3.02), the difference failed to reach statistical significance. This was also true of the Asian population (Trafford dmft = 4.49. Glasgow dfmt = 4.18). When the Asian population was further divided according to religion and the English-speaking ability of the mother, the non-Muslim children of English-speaking mothers had similar caries levels in both areas (Trafford dmft = 2.28, Glasgow dmft = 2.32), and a better dental health than the rest of the Asian population. Oral cleanliness scores followed a similar pattern to dental caries experience. It is concluded that inequality in dental health between Asian and white schoolchildren exists in both Glasgow and Trafford. In addition, these young children who attended multi-racial schools which were located in deprived areas of Trafford and Glasgow had a similar dental health. This was true of the population as a whole and for each of the major ethnic groups.