DENTAL-CARIES IN NAMIBIA - THE FIRST NATIONAL SURVEY

This paper reports findings on dental caries in the first national sur vey in Namibia, the second largest country on the Southern African sub continent. In 1991, a total of 2081 individuals, representing 0.15% of the Namibian population, 764 12-yr-olds, 736 15-yr-olds and 581 35-44 -yr-olds were examined to determine their oral health. Caries was diag nosed using WHO criteria by a single calibrated dentist. At 12 yr betw een 37% and 81% of the subjects examined were caries-free, at 15 yr be tween 25% and 66%, and in the age class 35-44 yr 6-44% were caries-fre e. Mean DMFT at 12 yr was 0.40-1.74 and at 15 yr 0.92-3.05; mean DFT a t 35-44 yr was 1.36-3.93. Females had significantly more caries than m ales and there were significant differences between urban, peri-urban and rural areas. The caries prevalence and experience is nevertheless low and within the WHO target for the year 2000 at 12 yr of age.