Objective: To assess the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs of 12-year-old children living in Teheran and a rural area surrounding Esfahan. Subjects and Methods: A total of 1,102 pupils were examined clinically for caries according to WHO criteria. One calibrated dentist examined all children. Results: Of the children studied, 63.8% had sound permanent dentition, 9.9% had filled teeth and 26.3% needed treatment. The mean DMFT value found was 0.77 (DFS: 1.19). The D component was 58.7%, the M component 3.4% and the F component 37.9%. The levels of caries experience varied according to the child’s residence. The teeth of children living in the rural area (mean DMFT: 0.38) were significantly less affected than those of children living in Teheran (mean DMFT: 1.1). In the capital city of Teheran, considerable differences related to social status were observed. The lowest DMFT values (0.74) were found in southern Teheran where the poorest people live. The highest caries experience was found in the middle-class social stratum. Conclusion: The results indicate that caries prevalence among 12-year-old children in the Islamic Republic of Iran is as low as in the developed countries of central Europe.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of genetically determined disorders characterized by blistering of the skin and mucosae. There are three major forms--simple, junctional and dystrophic--and each has several varieties. The present case report describes a male child with junctional EB. The aim of the report is to present the dietary situation and the dental status of the child, examples of potential dental and nutritional consequences, and the therapeutic interventions possible for children with this disease.

Use of fluoride supplements in the past, use of fluoridated table salt and fissure sealants were the factors in the binary logistic regression analysis which were significant in preventing caries.

In a retrospective study in two different regions of Germany, 1,041 fifteen-year-old pupils were examined for dental fluorosis. The adolescents had taken part in different caries prevention programmes. There were 746 subjects in the study group and 295 subjects in the control group. For each participant, specific aspects of early development, diet and fluoride exposure in group prevention programmes and at home were determined by means of questionnaires. The Thylstrup-Fejerskov index was used to classify the fluorosis scores on the buccal surfaces of teeth 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 after compressed air drying of the teeth. Binary logistic stepwise regression analyses were conducted to identify associations between fluorosis and potential influence factors. A distinction was made between early and late developing tooth parts. The significance level was set at α = 0.05. Fluorosis prevalence in the regions studied was 7.1 and 11.3%, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.052; chi square). Binary logistic stepwise regression analysis revealed that ‘early start of toothbrushing’ was a statistically significant predictor of dental fluorosis in the early-mineralizing enamel (OR = 1.99, p = 0.027). For the late-mineralizing enamel no single independent variable was identified as a significant predictor of dental fluorosis.

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