Dental health status and development trends among children and adolescents in Greenland.
OBJECTIVE
This paper describes the occurrence of dental caries in children and adolescents in Greenland and the disease pattern is analysed across districts and over time.


METHODS
Cross-sectional population surveys of children aged 6, 12 and 15 years.


METHODS
Data were stored in the oral health information system established for the Greenland Public Dental Health Services, recording the dental health status of children served by the programme. The participation rate is approximately 100%. In 2003, the study population counted 645 6-year-olds; 587 12-year-olds, and 488 15-year-olds. Dental caries is clinically recorded according to the criteria used by the Danish Public Dental Health Services.


RESULTS
About 80-90% of children in all age groups were affected by dental caries. In 2003, a mean of 13.1 tooth surfaces were affected by dental caries in children aged 6 years, about 6.1 tooth surfaces in 12-year-olds, and 10.2 surfaces at age 15. At all ages, high proportions of children had severe patterns of dental caries. Extensive variations by district in dental caries indices were observed for all age groups. The dental caries experience tends to increase with time in young children, while the dental caries level remained stable for adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
The dental caries burden is high in children in Greenland compared to Denmark and other Nordic countries. It is unrealistic to achieve international goals for oral health and, thus, the strengthening of oral health promotion and disease prevention is urgently needed.
Department for Community Dentistry and Graduate Studies, School of Dentistry, Center for Health and Society, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. pep@odont.ku.dk
Poul Erik
PE
Petersen
Lisa Bøge
LB
Christensen
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health