Research Article
Ioan Danila, Carmen Hanganu
Abstract
In 1999 the National Caries Preventive Program comprising supervised weekly mouth rinsing with 0.2% NaF was introduced in all primary schools in a deficient fluoride area, Iasi, Romania. Children grades I to IV participated. The aim of the present study was to analyze trends in dental caries over a ten years period (1992-2003) among children of 6 and 12 years of age. This study was carried out in order to assess the changes in oral health status after four years of application of National Caries Preventive Program. All children were examined clinically at the school dental clinic, by the trained and calibrated dentist of the school, according with the WHO criteria. No radiographs were taken. Conducted visualtactile examinations were made, using dental explorer and mouth mirrors for the counting of decayed, missing and filled (def - DMF) teeth (t - T) and teeth surfaces (s - S). The results of clinical examinations were recorded by a trained assistant on standardized forms. In children of grade I (6 years old) the mean caries indices were constant - 8.8 defs in 1992 and 2003, but deft decreased from 5.1 in 1992 to 4.5 in 2003. The DMFT had a significant decreasing from 1.2 in 1992 to 0.11 in 2003. The DMFS also decreased over ten years, from 1.71 (1992) to 0.11 (2003). At grade VI (12 years old) the mean caries experience was 3.92 DMFS (2003) comparing with 6.0 DMFS (1992). The DMFT index decreased from 3.0 (1992) to 2.34 (2003). Most probably this decline cannot be attributed solely to the preventive program. Thus, even if the community of Iasi is fluoride- deficient, the children may be exposed to fluorides unassociated with the mouth rinsing programs. The possibility exists that some factors that influence dental caries other than the intervention being studied may have contributed to the observed changes in caries prevalence. Changes in diet, access to dental care, secular improvement of caries, or other factors may also have had an effect on our data. The efficacy of school-based fluoride mouth rinsing programs has been evaluated in different studies, and subsequently, many states and localities adopted such programs for communities, particularly in non-fluoridated areas. This program has appeal because costs for supplies were low and the regimen could readily be supervised by school teachers after minimal in-service training. We will continue the program and all the methods recommended by WHO in order to achieve its objectives for 2010 and 2025.