[Dental caries prevalence in permanent teeth of schoolchildren in the Municipality of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1970-1996].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the evolution of dental caries in permanent teeth of schoolchildren in S. Paulo City, Brazil, during the period of 1970-1996.


METHODS
The World Health Organization methodology for oral health surveys was applied in 2,491 schoolchildren, both male and female from 103 public and private schools. A probabilistic sample stratified by age, school category, and city zones was obtained by the Education State Service data system. Computational resources were used.


RESULTS
Data from the 1996 S. Paulo survey were compared with others data provided by studies such as the one conducted in the same city and the reference-population in the second half of the 20th century. In the 60s and 70s the DMF-T Index among 12-year-old schoolchildren was around 7.0. In 1986 it was 6.5 and in 1996 it was registered 2.1, a decline of 68%.


CONCLUSIONS
Dental caries in permanent teeth among S. Paulo City 12-year-old schoolchildren changed from a "very high" to "low" prevalence.
Narvai
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PC
Departamento de Prática de Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. pcnarvai@usp.br
Castellanos
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RA
Frazão
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P
D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017213:Root Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*