Dental caries and fluorosis prevalence study in a nonfluoridated Brazilian community: trend analysis and toothpaste
A C Pereira1, F L Da Cunha, M de C Meneghim
1Department of Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University de Campinas UNICAMP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
The main purpose of this study is to compare data from previous surveys to current prevalence rates of dental caries and dental fluorosis in eleven- and twelve-year-olds in a non-fluoridated Brazilian community (< 0.2 ppm F). This study also assesses the possible association between use of fluoride toothpaste and the prevalence of dental caries and dental fluorosis. The sample subjects are randomly selected schoolchildren who were examined with a dental probe and buccal mirror under natural light. The intra-examiner error was calculated, using Kappa statistics (K tau 0.85). The results showed that between 1991 and 1997 there was a 56.7 percent decrease in the prevalence of dental caries and an 80.1 percent increase in dental fluorosis. Children with dental fluorosis were 1.75 times more likely to be free of caries (OR = 1.75-CI:0.43, 6.68). Children who started using fluoride toothpaste before the age of three were 4.43 times more likely to have dental fluorosis than those who started using it after the age of three (OR = 4.43-CI:0.51, 99.61). The results of the cross-sectional surveys conducted with schoolchildren in 1991, 1995, and 1997 suggest a continuing decrease in the prevalence of dental caries and an increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis in this nonfluoridated Brazilian town.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
The Oral Microbiota


