Oral health status of 12-year-old children in Russia

Background: The prevalence of the main oral diseases varies in different countries and within the same country or region and it is very important to conduct oral health surveys according to WHO recommendations. National epidemiological oral health surveys were carried out in Russia during 1996-1998 and 2007-2008. Objective: The aim of the study is to compare the mean prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases among 12-year-olds in 1996-1998 and 2007-2008. Methods: The oral health status of 12-year-olds was evaluated with criteria recommended by the World Health Organization. Results: The results of the first national epidemiological oral health survey showed that caries prevalence among 12-year-old children was 78% with a mean DMFT index of 2.91. The prevalence of caries in permanent teeth was 1.4 times higher among children in Russian regions where the fluoride content in drinking water was much below 0.5 mg/l in comparison with those regions where the F- content exceeded this figure. Signs of periodontal diseases (gingival bleeding and dental calculus) evaluated by the community periodontal index occurred in 48% of 12-year-old teenagers and on average in 2.5 periodontal sextants. The second oral health survey revealed that caries prevalence decreased in this age group (to 73%) as well as both mean DMFT index (to 2.49) and its component values. The periodontal status of the children also improved. Conclusions: Changes of children's oral health during a 10-year interval might be explained by implementation of different preventive programs. © Springer-Verlag 2009.