Caries Prevalence and Gingivitis in 5-, 7- and 10-Year-Old Schoolchildren in The Hague between 1969 and 1984

Abstract

In 1969, 1972, 1975, 1978 and 1981 dental examinations have been carried out in The Hague on cohorts of children of kindergartens and elementary schools at the occasion of the start of a long-term dental health education campaign. In 1984 a follow-up part of the cohort examinations was conducted on 5-, 7- and 10-year-old schoolchildren. In 1984 further improvement in dental health of 5-, 7- and 10-year-old children was found. In the 5-year-old children the average d₃mfs was 1.61. The average D₃MFS scores of the 7- and 10-year-olds were 0.82 and 2.18. Of the 5-, 7- and 10-year-old children 64.6, 73.1 and 41.4% were caries-free. No gingivitis was found in 88.3, 65.7 and 54.7% of the children at 5, 7 and 10 years of age. The percentage of caries-free children during the 15-year period (1969–1984) increased in 5- and 7-year-old children from 1 and 2% to 65 and 73%, respectively. Explanations for the improvement of dental health are discussed.