A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 1987 to measure the difference in caries experience in schoolchildren between a fluoridated (0.8 mg/L F-) and a non-fluoridated region (0.1-0.4 mg/L F-). 3436 children aged 5-15 yr were examined. Children in the non-fluoridated region had a higher caries experience than those in the fluoridated region. Mean differences were 1.06 dfs (95% CI = 0.66 to 1.47, P less than 0.001) and 0.48 DFS (95% CI = 0.23 to 0.72, P less than 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounding factors (fluoride tablet consumption, socioeconomic status, number of fissure-sealed surfaces, and mobility between regions) the relative risk of not being caries-free in the non-fluoridated region compared with the fluoridated region was 1.43 (95% CI = 1.21-1.70, P less than 0.0001) for the primary dentition and 1.39 (95% CI = 1.18-1.63, P less than 0.0001) for the permanent dentition.
The caries experience of children aged six, eight, and ten years, examined in Perth after ten years of fluoridation was less than half that of children examined before fluoridation. In a concurrent survey, the caries experience of children examined in two unfluoridated towns was double that of the Perth children.
The City of Bunbury (population 22 OOO) is the only major centre in Western Australia which is not fluoridated. Unsupplemented eight-year-old children had on average 2.7 more deciduous teeth affected by caries than students of the same age from fluoridated areas and those aged fifteen years had 2.2 more permanent surfaces affected.Their restorative treatment need was 43 per cent greater than that of children of the same age living in fluoridated areas.
TWO groups of high school students aged 15 years in five major Western Australian centres were dentally examined. The first group (1978) had no experience of school dental services. Of the second group (1981). 79 per cent had received school-based dental care for 18 months two years previously. The 1981 group had less untreated caries and improved oral hygiene and gingival health. (Ueceived for publication June 1982.1 ' Medcalf GW, O'Grady MJ. The dental health of children eight and fifteen years of age living in Bunbury, Western Australia. Aust Dent J 1983;28: 162-5. ' Roder DM. The effect of treatment provided by dentists and therapists in the South Australian school dental service. The second report. Aust Dent J 1976;21:147-52. Carr LM. Dental health of children in Australia 1977-1980. Aust Dent J 1982;27:169-75. ' Stamm JW, Kuo HC. Neil DR. An evaluation of the 'toothkeeper' program in Vermont. J Pub Hlth Dent 1975;32:81-4. ' Agerback N, Melsen B, Lind OP, Glavind L. Kristionsen B. Effect of regular small group instruction per se on oral hygiene status of Danish school children. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1979;7: 17-20. ' Rayner JF. Cohen Lois K . School dental health education. In: Richards ND, Cohen Lois K, eds. Social sciences and dentistry: a critical bibliography. The Hague: Federation Dentaire Internationale. 1971:275:301.
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