Permanent dentition caries through the first half of life

To describe the occurrence of dental caries at the person, tooth and tooth surface level from childhood to early mid-life.

No studies have reported on age and caries experience in a population-based sample through the first half of life.

Prospective cohort study of a complete birth cohort (n = 1,037) born in 1972/73 in Dunedin, New Zealand. Dental examinations were conducted at ages 5, 9, 15, 18, 26, 32 and 38, and participation rates remained high. Surface-level caries data were collected at each age (WHO basic methods). Statistical analyses and graphing of data were undertaken using Intercooled Stata Version 10.

Data are presented on dental caries experience in the permanent dentition at ages 9, 15, 18, 26, 32 and 38. Percentile curves are charted and reported for person-level caries experience. Data are also presented on the number of decayed teeth and tooth surfaces, (including root surfaces at age 38), as a function of the number of teeth and surfaces present, respectively. Across the cohort, the number of tooth surfaces affected by dental caries increased by approximately 0.8 surfaces per year (on average), while the percentage of at-risk tooth surfaces affected by caries increased by approximately 0.5% per year, with negligible variation in that rate throughout the observation period.

These unique data show clearly that dental caries continues as a disease of adulthood, remaining important beyond childhood and adolescence and that rates of dental caries over time remain relatively constant.