Dental Caries in High-risk, School-age African American Children in Alabama: A Six-year Prospective.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and incidence of dental caries in school-age African American children who received semi-annual fluoride varnish applications.


METHODS
A cohort of six-year-old high caries-risk African American children (n equals 98) was recruited in Uniontown, Ala., USA, and followed for six years. Oral examinations were done annually by three trained/calibrated dentists. Tooth surfaces with cavitated caries, teeth missing due to caries, and teeth with filled surfaces were recorded using World Health Organization criteria. Also, as part of the study, children received periodic oral health instruction, fluoride varnish applications, and referrals to dentists starting at baseline.


RESULTS
The person-level prevalence of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces of primary and permanent teeth (dmfs/DMFS) was: 61.2 percent at mean age of 5.9 years old (n equals 98, mean dmfs/DMFS equals 11.6); 63.8 percent at 6.7 years old (n equals 80, mean dmfs/ DMFS equals 13.2); 70.6 percent at 7.8 years old (n equals 68, mean dmfs/DMFS equals 14.2); 65.7 percent at 8.8 years old (n equals 68, mean dmfs/DMFS equals 11.8); 55.6 percent at 9.7 years old (n equals 63, mean dmfs/DMFS equals 8.8); 40.3 percent at 10.7 years old (n equals 62, mean dmfs/DMFS equals 3.4); and 37.1 percent at 11.7 years old (n equals 62, mean dmfs/DMFS equals 2.3). The six-year person-level incidence of dmfs/DMFS was 32.3 percent (mean dmfs/DMFS equals 1.6) from 5.9 to 11.7 years old (<small>N</small> equals 62).


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the oral health education and fluoride varnish applications, there was substantial new dental caries in this high-risk sample. Additional studies evaluating risk factors for caries development are ongoing.
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Tariq S
TS
Ghazal
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Steven M
SM
Levy
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Ala., USA.
Noel K
NK
Childers
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Barbara A
BA
Broffitt
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Daniel J
DJ
Caplan
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
John J
JJ
Warren
Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Joseph E
JE
Cavanaugh
Department of Operative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Justine
J
Kolker
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000407:Alabama / Q000453:epidemiology; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005460:Fluorides, Topical