Salt fluoridation and dental caries in Jamaica

Purpose: In 1987, Jamaica initiated a comprehensive island-wide salt fluori dation program. A survey was conducted in 1995 to monitor the impact of sal t fluoridation among children in Jamaica. Methods: Dental examinations of 1 120 children aged 6-8, 12, and 15 years were conducted according to World H ealth Organization criteria to assess dental caries, fluorosis, the presenc e of and need for dental sealants, and Community Periodontal Treatment Need s (CPI). Results: Age specific DMFT means observed in 1995 were 0.2 at age 7, 0.4 at age 8, 1.1 at age 12 and 3.0 at age 15. The mean DMFT scores in c hildren 6, 12 and 15 years of age were dramatically lower than the correspo nding scores of 1.7, 6.7 and 9.6 obtained at the baseline examination in 19 84 for children of the same age groups, respectively (baseline data for 7- and 8-year-olds were not collected). The mean percentage of sound permanent teeth for all age groups was 90% in 1995. The percentage of children carie s-free at baseline was 27.6% for 6 years, 2.8% for 12 years and 0.3% for 15 years of age. In 1995, the percentage of caries-free children (permanent t eeth) was 61%. In 1984, 23 children were scored as having very mild or mild fluorosis. In 1995, five children were scored in the same categories of fl uorosis, using Dean's criteria; thus, fluorosis remained at negligible leve ls in 1995. Conclusions: The oral health survey conducted in Jamaica in 199 5 indicated a significant decline in dental caries compared with findings i n 1984. The major change in Jamaica during the interval was the introductio n of salt fluoridation in 1987. Dental fluorosis was low in the 1995 survey .