The decline in dental caries among 12-year-old children in Germany between 1994 and 2000.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of dental caries in 12-year-old-children in 11 of the 16 German Federal States over time following the introduction of intensive preventive measures.


METHODS
Cross sectional oral health surveys of children aged 12 years were performed in 1994-1995, 1997 and 2000.


METHODS
After random selection 18,459 (1994-1995), 22,908 (1997) and 24,679 (2000) children were examined in schools.


METHODS
DMFT and fissure sealants were recorded following WHO criteria. Caries was diagnosed at the caries into dentine (D3) threshold using visual method without radiography or fiber-optic transillumination.


RESULTS
The mean DMFT scores for Germany decreased from 2.44 in 1994-1995 to 1.81 in 1997 and 1.24 in 2000. In 1994-1995 31.1% of 12-year-olds had no caries experience (DMFT = 0). The corresponding figures were 42.5% in 1997 and 55.3% in 2000. The average Significant Caries Index (SiC index) dropped from 5.25 in 1994-1995 to 4.29 in 1997 and to 3.30 in 2000. The results in different federal states showed a wide variation in caries prevalence. In the first examination, mean DMFT scores between 2.10 and 3.54 were found, while after the third evaluation corresponding values between 1.03 and 1.95 were observed. In 1997 on average between 0.20 and 2.00 teeth with fissure sealants per child were found, the corresponding values in 2000 were between 2.13 and 2.83.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study show considerable inequalities in oral health in the various federal states. Nevertheless, oral health in Germany improved considerably between the years 1994 and 2000.
Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany. pieper@med.uni-marburg.de
Klaus
K
Pieper
Andreas G
AG
Schulte
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011897:Random Allocation; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology
D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants