Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026
Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Dental health of 12-year-olds in Israel-2002
Shlomo P Zusman1, Tirza Ramon, Lena Natapov
1Division of Dental Health, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel. zusman@netvision.net.il
Objective:
To gather epidemiological information on caries prevalence and treatment needs of Israeli 12-year-olds.
Research Design:
Prevalence survey of a representative sample of 12-year- olds examined according to WHO Oral Health Survey methods.
Results:
The mean DMFT was 1.66 (DT = 0.91, MT = 0.03 FT = 0.72), a 40% decline since the previous national survey in 1989. DT and DMFT were lower amongst males (p < 0.01). There were no differences between urban and rural communities. Arab subjects had a higher prevalence, higher DT, MT and DMFT (p < 0.01), but lower FT than the Jewish subjects. In fluoridated areas, the mean DMFT was 1.39 compared to 1.83 in the non-fluoridated areas (p < 0.01). SiC (Significant Caries Index which shows the average DMFT of the third of the population with the highest DMFT) was found to be 4.31.
Conclusions:
Caries prevalence has declined among 12-year-olds in Israel. However, 53.9% of the children still suffer from caries at this age. There are wide dental health disparities.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
01:15Teeth
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...
01:21Tooth 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.
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.