This study examined the 2.5–year outcome of preventive programs – based on the Nexö method – offered to three groups of children from Solntsevsky, a district of Moscow. Study group A consisted of 45 3–year–olds, study group B of 50 6–year–olds, and study group C of 50 11–year–olds. A similar number of children were selected as control groups and they followed the normal dental service provided by the local Health Service System in the district. The caries–preventive programs offered to the study groups were based on: (1) education of the child, parents and teachers in the caries disease, (2) training in toothbrushing. In addition, the children in study groups B and C were offered professional plaque removal, applications of sodium fluoride (2%) and sealant applications according to individual needs. The children in groups B and C were clinically examined in March 1994 (baseline) after 1 and 2.5 years, respectively. Because of the age of the children in group A, these children were only examined once, after the study had been completed. After 2.5 years the children in all three study groups had improved their oral health status significantly compared to the children in the control group. The caries experience among the children in study group A was about half of that observed among children in the control group (4.91 def–s versus 8.60 def–s). The program was highly effective in controlling dental caries in the permanent dentition among the children in the study groups, who finished with a mean DMF–S of 0.28 (group B) and 3.12 (group C) compared to 2.24 and 6.35 among the children in the corresponding control groups. Nearly all the children used fluoridated toothpaste. The mean number of visits to the clinic decreased from year 1 to year 2 (5 versus 3.4 in study group B and 4.5 versus 3.3 in study group C). In conclusion, the preventive programs were highly effective with regard to improving the level of oral hygiene, and thereby reducing or even controlling the plaque–induced disease activity.

In order to provide a baseline for planning a caries preventive program for children in a district in Moscow, samples of 6‐, 8‐, 10‐, 12‐, and 14‐yr‐old children were examined. The initial examination included recording of plaque on selected surfaces using a classification from 0 to 2 (thick plaque). After supervised tooth brushing, the children were examined for caries. Each tooth surface was examined and classified in progressive stages of caries involving opaque enamel lesions, increasing stages of cavity formation, fillings with and without caries and extractions due to caries. Gingival status in selected locations was classified from 0 to 2 (severe inflammation). More than 2/3 of the children had surfaces covered with thick plaque (score 2). Gingivitis was observed in one or more places in 2/3 of the children. Caries experience in the primary dentition was high, and low to moderate in the permanent dentition. However, the average number of surfaces with deep dentin cavitation, indicating pulpal involvement in 14‐yr‐olds, was 1.7. Caries on primary molar teeth accounted for about 80% of the accumulated caries experience among the 8‐yr‐olds. Caries on permanent first molars accounted for about 70% of the accumulated caries experience among the 14‐yr‐olds. The occlusal surface on permanent first molars was the most prone to caries in the permanent dentition.