ORAL HEALTH-STATUS AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN ROMANIA, 1992

In Romania, systematic information on the occurrence of oral diseases in children is scarce. The purpose of the present study was to describ e the prevalence and the pattern of dental caries in schoolchildren, a nd to use the data to provide a baseline for planning and evaluation o f oral health care. A national sample of children at grade 1 (n = 729) and grade 6 (n = 660) was chosen consistent with the WHO pathfinder p rinciple. Clinical examinations were carried out according to the reco rding system for the Danish Municipal Dental Service and the following results were obtained. In children of grade 1 (7-yr-olds) the prevale nce proportion of caries in primary teeth was 86% and in permanent tee th 39%. The mean caries indices were 11.4 defs and 1.3 DMFS. At grade 6 (12-yr-olds) the prevalence proportion of caries in primary teeth wa s 17% and in permanent teeth 90%. The mean caries experience was 0.8 d efs and 6.5 DMFS, and a mean of 4.1 DMFT was observed. In both groups. the D-component of the caries index was dominant. The children were a lso classified by caries severity zone. At grade 1, 61% had a very sev ere pattern of caries in the primary teeth, i.e. caries in pits/fissur es, proximal surfaces, smooth surfaces, and incisors. Forty-three perc ent of the children at grade 6 showed this pattern in permanent teeth. In Romanian schoolchildren the present level and pattern of dental ca ries are most severe and the implementation of oral health promotion a nd prevention at the community level is urgently needed.