Dental caries and fluorosis prevalence study in a nonfluoridated Braziliancommunity: Trend analysis and toothpaste association

The main purpose of this study is to compare data from precious surveys to current prevalence rates of dental: caries and dental fluorosis in eleven- and twelve-year-olds in a nonfluoridated Brazilian community (< 0.2 ppm F). This study also assesses the possible association between use of fluoride toothpaste and the prevalence of dental caries and dental fluorosis. The sa mple subjects are randomly selected schoolchildren who were examined with a dental probe and buccal mirror under natural light. The intraexaminer erro r was calculated, using Kappa statistics (K tau 0.85). The results showed t hat between 1991 and 1997 there was a 56.7 percent decrease in the prevalen ce of dental caries and an 80.1 percent increase in dental fluorosis. Child ren with dental fluorosis were 1.75 times more likely to be free of caries (OR=1.75 - Cl:0.43, 6.68). Children who started,using fluoride toothpaste b efore the age of three were 4.43 times more likely to have dental fluorosis than those who started using it after the age of three (OR=4.43 - CI:0.51, 99.61). The results of the cross-sectional surveys conducted with schoolch ildren in 1991,1995, and 1997 suggest a continuing decrease in the prevalen ce of dental caries and an increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis i n this nonfluoridated Brazilian town.