Oral health status in a population in Northern Norway.

Information concerning oral health status was obtained through a clinical and radiographic examination of 297 persons aged 20--69 years out of a population of 358 persons living in a coastal community in Northern Norway. The oral health was generally poor. 71% had one or more remaining teeth and the dentulous persons had a mean number of 18 remaining teeth. The mean number of DMF teeth was 27,3 while the mean number of decayed teeth was 4,9 and filled teeth 12,0 giving a percent of decayed and filled teeth of 27 and 65 respectively. Only every fourth dentulous person had one or more crowns and/or bridge units and 4% of all teeth had been treated endodontically. 41% of the teeth had visible plaque and 56% of the teeth had one or more gingival margins bleeding after gentle probing. One fourth of all teeth had gingival pockets exceeding 3 mm and 17% of all teeth showed a bone loss of 20% or more. The number of remaining teeth decreased with increasing age and decreasing income and/or social class. In general, women, young people and people with a high socioeconomic status had less caries, better oral hygiene and periodontal condition and had received more restorative dental care than the remaining part of the population.