CARIES PREVALENCE OF YOUNG-ADULTS IN OSLO, NORWAY, AND PORTO, PORTUGAL - A COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS

The purpose of the present study was primarily to establish the oral h ealth status of young adults in the area of Porto, Portugal. The asses sment is based on a random sample of 30- to 39-year-olds with criteria identical to those of a Norwegian study of 35-year-olds. This makes i t possible also to present a comparative analysis of the caries preval ence in Oslo, Norway, and Porto, Portugal. The results indicate lower DMF scores among the Portuguese (DMFS = 46.2) than the Norwegian (DMFS = 85.0) adults. The difference is primarily due to a greater number o f filled surfaces among the Norwegians (FS = 59.7) than the Portuguese (FS = 4.4). However, carious surfaces are more prevalent among Portug uese than Norwegian adults (DS = 9.2 versus DS = 3.3). Both among Port uguese and Norwegian adults, oral hygiene and dental visits seem to pl ay an important role with regard to the prevalence of decayed surfaces . Decayed surfaces were more prevalent among men than women, and a cor relation between social status and prevalence of decayed surfaces was present in both societies.