title: Time trends in caries experience of children in England and Wales.
abstract: Regular national surveys of child and adult dental health and regionally coordinated surveys of caries experience in children provide a comprehensive picture of secular changes in disease levels in England and Wales. The substantial decrease in mean dmft in 5-year-olds between 1973 and 1983, amounting to 7.7% per annum, slowed to 0.9% per annum between 1983 and 1989/90. Conversely the decline in DMFT in older children and adolescents has accelerated more than twofold since 1983. In some parts of the country, caries experience at 5 years has shown a small increase and possible reasons for this are discussed. The validity of the survey data is examined and ways of consolidating and maintaining the downward trend in disease are considered.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dental Surgery, Eastman Dental Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Downer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology