Caries experience, the caries burden and associated factors in children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 2013

Abstract

Background The 2013 Children's Dental Health Survey is the fifth in a series of national surveys.Aims To describe caries prevalence and severity and factors affecting these, in children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2013.Methodology A representative sample of children (aged 5, 8, 12 and 15 years) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were invited to participate in dental examinations. Caries was measured at both the dentine ('obvious caries') and dentine plus enamel ('clinical caries') levels and analysis included identifying those with indicators of significant burden of caries and identifying predictive factors.Results In 5-year-olds, 40% had obvious caries experience increasing to 56% when enamel lesions were included. In 15-year-olds, the respective figures were 46% and 63%. Fourteen percent of 5-year-olds and 15% of 15-year-olds had a least one indicator of significant levels of caries and those from deprived backgrounds were more likely to fall into this group.Conclusions Overall, the prevalence of caries in children is continuing to decrease, but the rate is slowing. The level of disease for those with disease is much higher than the average values might suggest and there remain a sizeable minority with a significant burden of caries, associated with deprivation. This complex picture poses significant clinical and public health challenges.

Figure 1

Children’s Dental Health survey terminology and criteria for dental decay experience reproduced from Pitts, Chadwick & Anderson and originally adapted from: Pitts, Pitts and Harker, and Selwitz, Ismail & Pitts

Figure 2. Clinical photographs showing examples of the different levels of decay recorded (a) obvious decay excluding visual dentine caries (b) obvious decay including visual dentine caries (c) clinical decay excluding visual enamel caries (d) clinical decay including visual enamel caries

Figure 3

Percentage of 12 and 15 year olds with obvious decay excluding visual dentine caries in permanent teeth (United Kingdom 1983 and 1993; England, Wales and Northern Ireland 2003-2013) reproduced from Pitts, Chadwick, Anderson