National survey of oral health status of children and adults in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the severity of dental caries and the periodontal status of children and adults in Turkey.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was undertaken between September 2004 and February 2005. The Turkish Statistics Institute (TSI) selected a representative sample using the proportional stratified sampling method. The selected ages/age groups were 5, 12, 15, 35-44 and 65-74. At the end of the study, 7,833 individuals had been reached. Dental students were calibrated and examinations were done according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines during home visits.


RESULTS
Only 30.2% of the 5-year-old group was caries-free, and the mean dmft was 3.7. Mean DMFT was 1.9 in 12- year-olds, 2.3 in 15-year-olds, 10.8 in 35-44-year-olds, and 25.8 in 65-74-year-olds. In both adolescents and adults, the prevalence of caries was higher among females than in males. In rural areas, the prevalence of caries was high among 5-year-olds, while DMFT was high in the elderly. The prevalence of dental caries was similar for 12- and 15-year-olds in urban and rural areas. Slightly less than half (48.0%) of 65-74 year-olds were edentulous. Healthy periodontal tissue was noted in 56.2% of fifteen-year-olds. In the 35-44 yr-old age group, calculus problems were high (62.6%), and 1.2% had attachment losses of 6 mm or greater. Rural subjects had more severe periodontal problems than their urban counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
Community-based oral disease prevention programs are needed urgently for the promotion of oral health in Turkey.
Gökalp
S G
SG
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara, Turkey. sgokalp@hacettepe.edu.tr
Doğan
B Guciz
BG
Tekçiçek
M Tek
MT
Berberoğlu
A
A
Unlüer
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000453:epidemiology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data