Abstract:

The aim of this survey was to obtain some information of the prevalence of dental caries in the youth aged 12 , 15 and 18 years of Sichuan province.Methods : Based on WHO and national oral health survey standards , dental caries prevalence and treatment needs were investigated randomly in selected young individuals of Sichuan province in 1995.Results : The prevalent rates of caries of 12- , 15- , and 18-year-old adolescents were 28. 47 % and 36. 40 % and 39. 54 % respectively. The mean DMFT of 12- , 15- and 18-year-old were 0. 52 , 0. 81 , and 0. 99. There are more pit and fissure caries than smooth caries in the young of 12-year-old than those of 15- and 18-year-old. Conclusion : Despite improvement can be seen in adolescents’oral health in Si2 chuan , there remains a proportion of active untreated decays. Some simple prevention programs are needed to stabilize the caries.

Key words: dental caries, DMFT, prevalence