title: [Dental caries in 15-to-19-year-old adolescents in São Paulo State, Brazil, 2002].
abstract: Dental caries was evaluated by surveying 15-to-19-year-olds in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2002, concerning disease prevalence and severity according to age, gender, ethnicity, and public water supply fluoridation. This cross-sectional study was based on data collected through an oral dental health epidemiological survey. Adolescents (n = 1,825) were examined at their homes by 132 dentists from 35 cities in the State of São Paulo. Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests were used (alpha = 5%). The SiC Index was used to determine the groups having higher caries experience. DMF-T was 6.44 (sd = 4.60) and SiC Index was 11.68. Caries-free frequency was 9.6%. No statistically significant difference was observed for DMF-T in relation to public water supply fluoridation; however, there was a high percentage of caries-free individuals in cities with fluoridation. Caries conditions were worse in males. A higher prevalence of decayed and missing teeth was observed in the non-white groups. Therefore, emphasis is recommended on strategies to mitigate harm by caries progression, especially in higher-risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lívia Litsue
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Gushi
authors.forename: Maria da Candelária
authors.initials: Mda C
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Tania Izabel Bighetti
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Forni
authors.forename: Vladen
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Ronaldo Seichi
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Maria da Luz Rosário
authors.initials: Mda L
authors.lastname: de Sousa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution