[Prevalence of dental caries, in children from a basic health area].
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the actual state of dental health among the school population, with a view to taking the requisite preventive and corrective measures. Additionally, to evaluate the effectiveness of the dental health programme.


METHODS
This was a crossover study, following the dental examinations of pupils in first year E.G.B. (6 and 7 years old), fifth year E.G.B. (10, 11 and 12 years old) and eighth year E.G.B. (13, 14 and 15 years old). SITE. Chipiona Primary Health Care Centre.


METHODS
Staff from the Chipiona (Cádiz) Health Centre, an odonto-stomatologist and a paediatrician.


RESULTS
Altogether, 808 schoolchildren, belonging to the seven schools in the area, were surveyed: 217 from first year E.G.B., 260 from the fifth year and 330 from the eighth year. The percentage of pupils with a history of caries (prevalence). The CAOD rises progressively from 1.10 (at 6 years old) to 15.07 (at 15). The COD studied reaches a highpoint of 0.42 at 12 years old. The level of dental repair-work has its lowest value at 6 years old for permanent teeth (0.48); and its highest proportion is 8.39, which appears in the permanent teeth of 13 year-old children.


CONCLUSIONS
Levels of caries greater than in other areas of Spain were found. Therefore, measures need to be adopted in the community, both in order to lower these figures and to increase the amount of dental repair-work.
Fuentes García
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S
Centro de Salud de Chipiona, Distrito Sanitario de Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cádiz.
Farrouh Dwaieb
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D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Estudio de la prevalencia de la caries dental, en niños de una zona básica de salud.