Changes in dental caries prevalence in 12-year-old students in the State of Mexico after 9 years of salt fluoridation.
The purpose of this study was to describe the dental caries experience in 12-year-old students in the State of Mexico and to detect changes after 9 years of salt fluoridation (1988-1997). The 1987 WHO dental caries criteria were used in both surveys. The population studied encompassed 2,275 12-year-old students in 1988, and 1,138 in 1997. The proportion of 'caries-free' children was 10. 3% in the first survey and 27.7% in the second one. The mean DMFT index was 4.39 (SD 2.9) in 1988 and 2.47 (SD 2.4) in 1997, the confidence interval of the differences between DMFT means was [95% CI 1.73, 2.11]; the caries reduction detected was 43.7%. The Unmet Restorative Index was 82.3% in 1988 and 72.8% in 1997. The results of the present study indicate that the oral health status of State of Mexico students has improved during the last decade; however, there is still a need for further caries reduction and an increment in access to dental treatment.
Irigoyen
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ME
Departemento de Atención a la Salud/DCBS, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico. meirigo@cueyatl.uam.mx
Sánchez-Hinojosa
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D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003750:Dental Fissures / Q000453:epidemiology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D014944:World Health Organization
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D005459:Fluorides