Caries experience in teenagers related to changes in a dental health programme

Comparisons were made of the number of approximal DF-surfaces radiographically recorded at the ages of 13 and 16 years between two groups of children, born in 1964 and 1971, respectively. The aim of the study was to examine if the differences in caries prevalence could be related to the effects of the changes in the dental health programme with time in Göteborg, Sweden. The caries prevalence at 16 years of age was significantly lower in the 1971 group. This was mainly due to a decrease in the number of fillings and caries lesions in girls. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups with regard to the mesial surfaces of the first permanent molars. In comparisons between the 20 per cent of children of both sexes with most caries, the 1971 group presented significantly lower DF-values at 16 years of age. The children in the 1971 group had a lower age at the start of organized dental care, had had more topical fluoride applications and, especially the girls, had probably used fluoride dentifrices more frequently. These factors, taken singly as well as in combination, are presumed to have contributed to the lower caries prevalence in the 1971 group.