ABSTRACT
A total of 1400 Saudi Arabian children in age groups 6-12 and 15 yr in private and public schools were examined for dental caries and treatment need in the cities of Jeddah (less than 0.30 ppm fluoride in drinking water), Rabagh (0.77 ppm F-) and Mecca (2.47 ppm F-). The mean dmft in 6-yr-olds in private schools in Jeddah was 2.9 compared with 6.3 in public schools (P less than 0.001). The d component accounted for 65% of the total dmft in private schools and 76% in public schools in Jeddah. The mean dmft values in private and public schools in Rabagh were 1.5 and 2.8 respectively and 2.7 and 2.8 in Mecca; the d component accounted for approximately 65% in all groups. The figures for permanent teeth in 12- and 15-yr-olds show similar trends with caries levels being the highest in public schools in Jeddah; approximately 60% of the total DMFT was attributable to the D component in both school types in all three cities. Most of the treatment required in all three cities comprised one- or two-surface fillings. The need for treatment was significantly higher in public schools.
