Caries prevalence in 11- to 14-year old migrant children in Germany.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether immigration stage is associated with higher prevalence of dental caries among schoolchildren in Heidelberg, Germany.


METHODS
A cross-sectional dental examination on 570 schoolchildren, aged 11 to 14 years, in schools with high proportions of immigrant pupils (49.5%) was performed. Carious, missing and filled permanent teeth were recorded for each child, so that mean DMFT values could be calculated. The pupils were classified into three groups: M0 (children and their parents were born in Germany), M1 (children who were born in Germany but whose parents were born outside of Germany), and M2 (children and their parents were born outside of Germany).


RESULTS
The mean DMFT values in M1 and M2 were close, and both were significantly higher than the corresponding values in M0. The proportions of caries-free children in M0, M1 and M2 were 63.7%, 40.3% and 42.3%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In Germany, migrant children have a poorer dental health status than native children coming from the same low socio-economic classes. Risk-oriented public health policies with appropriate prevention programs must be developed for these children.
Bissar
Abdul-Razak
AR
Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. abissar@hotmail.com
Schulte
Andreas Gerhard
AG
Muhjazi
Ghada
G
Koch
Martin Jean
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011640:Public Policy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors