Dental Caries Trends in Polish Schoolchildren Over the Last Decade

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess changes in dental caries experience among 12-year-old children in Poland over the last decade. Methods: In 2000 and 2005 nation wide studies were undertaken, in which 3391 and 2435 12-year-olds, respectively, were chosen for clinical assessment by stratified random sampling. The examination was performed according to WHO criteria (Oral Health Surveys, Basic Data). The data collected in 2000 and 2005 were analyzed and compared to the results of a nation wide study performed in 1995 by Janczuk et al. Results: The study revealed that over the last decade the mean DMFT value constantly decreased from 4.3 in 1995 through 3.8, reaching 3.3 in 2005. Disproportions between localities were decreasing gradually: in 1995 DMFT was 3.7 for urban inhabitants and 4.8 for rural, in 2005 3.7 and 4.0 respectively. There were almost no differences in mean DMFT between localities in 2005 (3.4 and 3.3). Population of caries free children increased from 9.5 in 1995 to 12.1 in 2000 and 16.4 in 2005 and the equalization of oral health status between localities has been observed. Differences in percentage were 6,7 in 1995, 3,1 in 2000 and 2,9 in 2005. In the examined population caries incidence and experience were not related to frequency of tooth extraction due to caries. MT>=1 was found in 7.5 percent of children in 1995, decreasing to 6.5 percent in 2000, but then increasing again, reaching 8.7 percent in 2005. Conclusion: Generally the caries level among 12-year-old children in Poland has decreased over the last decade, however, the growing percentage of children with extracted teeth is of concern.