Dental caries of lifetime residents in Baixo Guandu, Brazil, fluoridated since 1953--a brief communication.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to verify the dental caries prevalence in Baixo Guandu, the first Brazilian city to fluoridate its public water supplies; to compare the findings with the data from the national survey; and also to compare the prevalence in the 12-year-old age group with the data obtained before the beginning of the fluoridation.


METHODS
All the lifetime residents aged 5, 12, 15 to 19, and 35 to 44 years old were clinically examined (World Health Organization).


RESULTS
The means of dmft/DMFT were lower than in the Brazilian population living in fluoridated communities. The DMFT Index in 12-year-old residents decreased between 1953 and 2005 from 8.61 to 1.55.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of fluoride to public water supplies was an important ally in the improvement of the oral health of Baixo Guandu inhabitants.
Saliba
Nemre Adas
NA
Preventive and Social Dentistry Program, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. nemre@foa.unesp.br
Moimaz
Suzely A S
SA
Casotti
Cézar A
CA
Pagliari
Ana V
AV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005457:Fluoridation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data