Dental caries experience in 7-, 12- and 14-year-old children in Andalucia, Spain

This study reports the first epidemiological survey specific to the region of Andalucia. The study was conducted with trained and standardised examiners, according to a multi-stage sampling process which ensured that a representative sample of children in the relevant age groups was examined. 2,961 subjects aged 7, 12 and 14 years were selected from schools in the eight provinces of the region. The percentage of 7-year-old children with no experience of caries in the deciduous dentition was 28 and in the permanent teeth 66; 29 per cent of 12- and 18 per cent of 14-year-old children were caries-free. The mean dmft at age 7 years was 3.45, while average DMFT values at ages 7, 12 and 14 years were 0.66, 2.70 and 4.01 respectively. When only children with past or present caries experience were considered, mean dmft at 7 years was 4.80 while mean DMFT at ages 7, 12 and 14 years was 1.92, 3.81 and 4.87. Children of non-manual background had lower caries experience than those from a manual background. Caries experience was consistently higher in Sevilla, Malaga and Granada while Almeria and Jaen had significantly higher numbers of children caries-free in all age groups. Variations in the proportions of caries-free subjects between provinces were associated with the natural fluoride content of the water supplies, though variations in sugar consumption could not be excluded. The results showed that caries experience was moderate. However, the large amount of untreated disease and increases in sugar consumption indicated a need for population based health promotion strategies and school based preventive and treatment programmes.