title: Epidemiological investigation of caries prevalence in first grade school children in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The annual examination of first graders' oral health as stipulated by law aimed to reach every child in Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) in their first year of school. We intended to evaluate the first graders' oral health based on the examination data for 2013/2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  Instructed examiners measured the d3mft(deciduous)/D3MFT(permanent) index according to World Health Organization criteria in 25,020 predominantly 6-7 year-old first-grade school children. Only caries affecting dentin was diagnosed; no radiography or fiber-transillumination was used. Out of the d3mft value, the "Significant Caries Index" (SiC) was calculated. This index identifies the dmft score of the third of the population with the highest caries experience. Descriptive analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the the examined children, 60.9% were caries free. Mean d3mft score was 1.28 ± 2.27 while the mean SiC was 3.73 ± 2.51. A distinctly higher d3mft was found in the decidous molars compared to the front teeth. Boys were significantly more caries-experienced than girls (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirm the lasting trend towards decreasing caries prevalence in children starting school found in previous cross-sectional studies. This trend was observed in the high-risk group (obtained by SiC) as well as in the entire study population. Particular attention in caries prophylaxis should be paid to the primary molars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, 55131, Mainz, Germany. jens.weusmann@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weusmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, 55131, Mainz, Germany. benjamin.mahmoodi@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, 55131, Mainz, Germany. adrianoasso@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azaripour
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, 55131, Mainz, Germany. kristian.kordsmeyer@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kordsmeyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. christian.walter@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, 55131, Mainz, Germany. willersh@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Brita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willershausen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence