[Epidemiologic investigations on caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Brittany (France)]

Abstract

1421 randomly selected 6- to 15-year-old Breton children were examined in 1987 in order to assess the prevalence of caries in permanent teeth. Methods proposed by Turlot & Cahen (1989) were used. At 6, 85.9% of all children were caries-free and at 15, only 5.3%. At 14, DMFT and DMFS rates reached 6.46 and 12.36, respectively. The differences of scores stated between boys and girls and between children from urban and rural regions were not statistically significant. Pits and fissures were more frequently affected than approximal and smooth surfaces. Since 1986, fluoridated domestic salt is available in France. Thus, the present investigation will serve to study the effects of this recently adopted preventive measure.