Dental caries status of children and youth in Singapore.
Dental health surveys on Singapore children and youths are reviewed. The survey data showed that Singapore youths had a reduction in DMFT of approximately 55% from 1954 to 1968 while the 1979 survey results showed a small increase in DMFT when compared with 1968 data. In the case of school children the DMFT had dropped from 2.98 in 1970 and 2.61 in 1979 to 1.97 in 1984 for the whole group. The decline in caries incidence could be attributed to water fluoridation, the school dental health programme and dental health education.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005457:Fluoridation; D006801:Humans; D012846:Singapore