Epidemiological investigation of dental fluorosis and dental caries in children from binhai new area / 天津医药

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the incidence of dental fluorosis and pit caries in school-age children from binhai new area of Tianjin, and to discuss the relationship between dental fluorosis and pit caries, providing the guidance for the prevention and treatment of them. Methods Referring to WHO’s“Oral Health Surveys Basic Methods”(Fourth Edition) and protocols of the third national oral epidemiology investigation, 3 778 children aged 7 to 9 year-old with similar levels of education were investigated for their dental fluorosis and fissure caries using the cross sectional survey method. Results The data showed that the incidence of dental fluorosis was less than 10%in the samples, and the community fluorosis index (CFI) was 0.075. The caries prevalence rate and mean decayed missing filled tooth (DMFT) of first permanent molars were 15.57%and 0.46 in male students, and those were 17.41%and 0.58 in female students. There were no significant differences in the caries prevalence rate and DMFT of first molar between male and female children (χ2=2.345, P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the caries rate and DMFT between different age groups (χ2=172.576, P<0.05), and both increased with age. Conclusion After years of defluoridation project in Tianjin, the detection rate and index of dental fluorosis in children have showed a downward trend. The caries prevalence rate may be related to the eruption rate of the first permanent molar.