Childhood caries is still in force: A 15-year follow-up |
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| Authors: | Mattila Marja-Leena Rautava Päivi Jaakkola Sirkka Ojanlatva Ansa Sillanpää Matti |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Departments of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland;2. Public Health Center, Dental Healthcare Clinic, Turku, Finlandmalema@utu.fi;4. Turku City Hospital, Turku, Finland;5. Public Health Center, Dental Healthcare Clinic, Turku, Finland;6. Teacher Education, University of Turku, Turku, Finland;7. Institute of Biomedicine, Center for Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland;8. Child Neurology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland |
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| Abstract: | Objective. To examine changes in caries prevalence among 3 to 15-year-old adolescents. Material and methods. Of 1582 eligible mothers, 1443 gave informed consent. Participating children and their parents were followed up continuously from 3 to 15 years of age in a pre-planned fashion and at regular intervals. Data on dental health status were obtained from 1066/1287 adolescents (82%) during regular clinical dental examinations. Results. Dentinal untreated caries (D) was seen among more than 26% of the adolescents at 15 years of age. Altogether, 4.9 carious teeth surfaces were affected in each case (mean). Close to 18% of the adolescents (186/1066) had poor dental health (DMFT was 5 or more) and 26% (271/1066) had DMFS 5 or more. Conclusions. Dental caries continues to constitute an increasing challenge in dental health care: any caries at 3, 5, 7, or 10 years of age was a predictor of poor dental health at 15 years of age. |
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| Keywords: | Adolescent caries prevalence child dental caries poor dental health |
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