Aa. Schuller et D. Holst, CHANGES IN THE ORAL HEALTH OF ADULTS FROM TRONDELAG, NORWAY, 1973-1983-1994, Community dentistry and oral epidemiology, 26(3), 1998, pp. 201-208
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Dentistry,Oral Surgery & Medicine","Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath
The purpose of this paper is to describe the changes in the oral healt
h of adults from Trondelag, Norway over two decades (1973-1983-1994),
from both a quasi-longitudinal and a time-lag perspective. Study parti
cipants were selected by random sampling in 1973, 1983 and 1994 (n=175
9, n=3195, n=2341). Data were collected by epidemiological registratio
ns and questionnaires. Oral health was measured by the additive DMF in
dex. The number of decayed teeth was low in all age groups in 1994. Th
ere was a reduction in the number of filled teeth from 1983 to 1994 in
the time-lag perspective in the youngest age group and the urban midd
le-aged group. The rural middle-aged adults and the older adults showe
d more filled teeth in 1994 than in 1983. In a quasi-longitudinal pers
pective, no significant changes in the 1960 birth cohort and the 1939-
48 urban birth cohort were shown from 1983 to 1994, while the 1930-38
birth cohort and 1939-48 rural birth cohort acquired more filled surfa
ces during this period. There are now at least two different oral heal
th populations of adults. The younger with the potential to carry oral
health benefits into old age, and an elderly population burdened with
extensive treatment but keeping their natural teeth.