[Dental health examination in infancy and early childhood. Part 2. The results of dental survey and screening of dental caries].

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the caries incidence, oral environment at the age of 1.5 years and the prevalence of the caries at the age of 3.5 years in order to establish the methods of dental health surveys on infants and to prevent dental caries. Oral health examination and caries activity (Cariostat) test were performed on 436 children successively undergoing dental health examinations of 1.5-year-old and 3-year-old children, and the following results were obtained: 1. Concerning the condition of dental caries prevalence, percentages of children with dental caries, mean deft and mean defs were 10.6%, 0.36 and 0.68 at the age of 1.5 years and 67.2% 4.43 and 8.41 at the age of 3.5 years, respectively. 2. According to dental surfaces, the mesial proximal surface and lingual surface of primary central incisor in the upper jaw showed a high defs rate of 4.6% at the age of 1.5 years. At the age of 3.5 years, the occlusal surface of primary second molar in the lower jaw, the mesial proximal surface of primary central incisor in the upper jaw and the occlusal surface of primary second molar in the upper jaw had defs rates as high as over 35%. 3. Concerning the condition of occlusion, normal occlusions and deep overbites appeared at almost the same frequencies occupying about 70% of overall occlusions. 4. A risk of dental caries became higher when the body weight at birth was higher, eruption occurred earlier, a fissure in the enamel of primary was deeper, Cariostat pH was lower, and/or no interdental spaces between primary incisors in the upper jaw; therefore the author recognized the necessity of individual health guidance and aftercare.