Evaluation of school-based dental health activities including fluoride mouth-rinsing in Hiraizumi, Japan.
School-based dental health activities conducted in Hiraizumi over the past 20 years have remarkably improved the dental health status of schoolchildren. For example, DMFT index of 12-year-old children decreased to 1.5 in 1998, one-half that of the national average. School dental health activities, which were focused on dental health education, resulted in an increase of filled teeth rates, a decrease in the number of missing teeth, and a decline in incisor caries (1979-1986). In addition, the introduction of a school-based fluoride mouth-rinsing program (1986 - ) showed a positive effect on the prevention of dental caries; a significant decrease was observed in the overall prevalence of dental caries, particularly in the molars. In Japan it seems advantageous to promote the dental health of schoolchildren by school-based programs that combine dental health examination, dental health education and fluoride mouth-rinsing program. Especially, to prevent dental caries in the mandibular first molars more effectively, it is recommended to start fluoride mouth-rinsing at age 5.
Ohara
S
S
Department of Preventive Dentistry and Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Kawaguchi
Y
Y
Shinada
K
K
Sasaki
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012571:School Dentistry; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D009067:Mouthwashes; D005459:Fluorides