title: Caries prevalence and treatment needs of 7- to 10-year-old schoolchildren in southwestern Germany.
abstract: The caries status of 1784 children aged 7 to 10 years was examined in a cross-sectional, epidemiological study in the Rhine-Neckar-District. Results showed that 30.5% of the children had caries-free primary and 65.2% had caries-free permanent teeth. The d(m)ft index was 2.68, and the D(M)FT averaged 0.76. As in previous studies, a high risk caries group was found, with 10% of all children showing more than 50% of all carious and filled teeth in the permanent dentition. Overall, 45.6% of the children's primary teeth and 16.3% of their permanent teeth needed treatment. As indicated by higher dt:ft (DT:FT) ratios in younger age groups, dentists preferred treating older children. Apart from a higher caries prevalence in primary teeth in males, no significant sex differences were found. Children of rural origin had a higher caries experience. The results confirm previous data showing considerable improvements with a declining caries experience in the young population. But the caries status of German pre-teenage children is still moderately high according to WHO criteria. For further improvements, considerable efforts have to be made with special emphasis on prevention in high risk caries groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Dental School, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerfowski
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Niekusch
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Staehle
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D018881:Suburban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014944:World Health Organization