Dental caries experience of preschool children from the north brisbane region

BACKGROUND: To report the dental caries experience of preschool children within the north Brisbane region and to investigate the association between selected social and demographic variables and disease presence. METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of 2515 children aged four to six years was examined in a preschool setting using decayed, missing, filled teeth/surface (dmft/dmfs) and percentage caries free indices. A self-administered questionnaire obtained information regarding selected social and demographic variables. The data were analysed using the chi-square and one way analysis of variance procedures at the 5 per cent level of significance. RESULTS: Overall, 1668 (66.3 per cent) children were disease free at the examination and mean dmft was 1.4+/-2.77 and dmfs was 2.28+/-6.00. Dental caries occurred more frequently and severely in children from non-Caucasian background (p<0.000), family language other than English (p=0.001) and lower socio-economic status (p<0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Significant associations between child ethnicity, language spoken at home, socio-economic status and caries presence have been identified. Epidemiological data can be used for improved public oral health service planning and resource allocation within the region.