Prevalence and severity of caries in 3-12-year-old children from three districts with different fluoridation histories in Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and severity of caries in 3-12-year-old children in three districts of the city of Araraquara.


METHODS
An epidemiological survey was carried out by trained and calibrated examiners in 1995 and 1996, using the WHO diagnostic criteria.


METHODS
Two districts, Araraquara and Vila Xavier had been fluoridated since 1963 and one, Gavião Peixoto, since 1994.


METHODS
The study included 1,191 children from Araraquara, 653 from Vila Xavier and 652 from Gavião Peixoto.


METHODS
Prevalence of caries, dmft, dmfs, DMFT and DMFS indices.


RESULTS
Results showed moderate caries experience in all three districts. Differences between districts in relation to fluoridation history were particularly obvious in primary teeth. In 3-4-year-old children, one third of those in Araraquara and Vila Xavier had some caries experience compared to 58% in Gavião Peixoto. In permanent teeth, 20% or less of the mean DMFT was made up of untreated decay in Araraquara and Vila Xavier whereas in Gaviao Peixoto it made up between 50 and 57% of values in 7-12-year-old children.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence and severity of caries was lower in dentitions of children from the districts fluoridated since 1963. Improvements are likely in the future in Gavião Peixoto as the benefit of fluoridation continues but additional means of promoting oral health are needed in all three districts.
Dini
E L
EL
Department of Social Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
Holt
R D
RD
Bedi
R
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005457:Fluoridation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D014070:Tooth / Q000473:pathology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D014944:World Health Organization