Dental caries in a group of schoolchildren in Kandy, Sri Lanka

This investigation was carried out in order to collect information regarding oral health in a group of schoolchildren in Kandy, Sri Lanka. 614 children of 6.9, 12 and 15 years were selected by stratified random sampling and examined under field conditions. The primary dentition showed a high rate of caries on all types of surfaces. Caries in the permanent dentition was mainly located to pits and fissures below the age of 12 years, after which smooth surface caries developed. The D-component was by far the largest component of the DMF-index in both the primary and the permanent dentition. The results are discussed in the light of the existing dental care delivery system in Sri Lanka.