title: Dental and oral radiographic findings in first-year university students in 1982 and 2002 in Helsinki, Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is part of a larger research program, at the Finnish Student Health Service in Helsinki, in which changes in the dental and oral health of first-year university students (born in Helsinki) in the years 1982 and 2002 were compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Panoramic radiographs were taken of 176 students in 1982, mean age 19.8 years (SD+/-0.7), and of 231 in 2002, mean age 20.2 (SD+/-0.7). DMFT index, caries and periapical changes, alveolar bone resorption, wisdom teeth, supernumerary, missing, and persisting deciduous teeth were evaluated from the radiographs. The chi-squared test and non-parametric tests were used to analyze the statistical significance of differences between the study groups and between genders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DMFT index diminished from 11.0 (SD +/- 4.2) to 2.9 (SD +/- 3.3) (p < 0.0001). In 2002, 27.9% of the students had a DMFT index of zero (in 1982, 0%, p < 0.000). The mean number of endodontically treated teeth diminished from 0.1 to 0.03 (p < 0.05). The number of impacted wisdom teeth increased in males from mean 0.41 to 0.69 (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An improvement in dental health was obvious in the year 2002. The favorable change in DMFT index is a trend that has been going on for several decades in Finland, probably as a result of the use of fluorides and better education in dental hygiene. The change might also be connected with improved general health.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Student Health Service, Helsinki, Finland. jaakko.peltola@yths.fi
authors.forename: Jaakko Sakari
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: Irja
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ventä
authors.forename: Sauli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haahtela
authors.forename: Ani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lakoma
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ylipaavalniemi
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turtola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009909:Oral Health; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities