[The status of the teeth in native and foreign preschool children]

In 1979 and 1981 respectively 375 and 347 kindergarten children were examined for dental cariës with the aid of mirror and probe by a school medical officer. These examinations were carried out in a quarter of The Hague, where many families from Surinam and the countries around the Mediterranean reside. The foreign children numbered 163 in 1979 and 176 in 1981. In 1979 as well as in 1981 the average number of deciduous teeth, decayed, extracted or filled (deft-number) was calculated. In both years the deft-number for the foreign group (4,9) was higher than the deft-number for the native group (3,0). In 1979 50% of the native group received dental care as compared to 8% of the foreign group. In 1981 these percentages were respectively 53 and 18. Moreover there was a great difference in the consumption of fluoride-tablets by the native and foreign toddlers. The greater part (53%) of the first group consumed these tablets every day. In 1979 and 1981 respectively 20 (12%) and 34 (19%) foreign toddlers received fluoride-tablets daily. These findings demonstrate that during regular medical inspection of foreign children much attention should be paid to dental health education.