Dental caries and periodontal disease among Mexican-American children from five southwestern states, 1982-1983.
Analysis of Southwestern HHANES data showed that the prevalence of dental caries among Mexican-American children is similar to that of children of the same age examined during the NIDR survey (1979-1980), despite a lower level of restorative treatment. Approximately 50% of Mexican-American children 17 years of age, however, had five or more teeth that were either decayed or filled. Occlusal surfaces of molars were the most susceptible teeth to decay; few anterior teeth were affected. This distribution of dental caries strongly supports the use of fissure sealants on molar teeth. Children from low-income families had two times more decayed teeth than children from high-income families. Mild gingivitis and poor oral hygiene were more prevalent in the Mexican-American children than in the child population for the region examined during NHANES I in 1971-1974. Children from high-income families had better periodontal health than those from low-income families.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States