The dmfs and dmft of young South African children.

As part of a series of frequent epidemiological field studies to determine caries prevalences in the primary dentition of young South African children, 1436 children of 1-4 yr of age from five ethnic groups were examined. Using WHO diagnostic criteria decayed, missing, and filled surfaces were determined with mirror and probe and caries free, dmfs, dfs, ds, mfs, and dmft scores were calculated. The investigation has shown that urban coloured and Indian children have the highest caries prevalences and urban white children have the lowest. It is suggested that the percentage of caries-free children should be used to set goals for reduction in caries.