Dental caries and dental treatment in the primary dentition in an industrialized South African community.
This paper reports an examination of dental caries in the primary dentition of 2-5-yr-old white children in an industrialized South African city, in 1981 and 1983. There was a decrease in dental caries prevalence over the 2-yr period accompanied by an increase in dental treatment in 3-5-yr-olds. Treatment, however, remains low. Socioeconomic status had a varying effect on the trends, but in general there was a greater reduction in dental caries in the lower socioeconomic areas.
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014504:Urban Health