Cariesforekomsten i tidsperspektiv hos børn og unge i Grønland – udfordringer for forebyggelse og sundhedsfremme
Nærværende undersøgelse viser at cariesforekomsten hos børn og unge i Grønland er massiv og stabil over tid. Hen ved ni ud af ti børn er ramt af caries. I 2003 havde seksårige børn ca. 13 tandflader med caries, 6,1 tandflader havde caries hos 12-årige og 10,2 tandflader havde caries hos 15-årige. Ubehandlet caries og tandekstraktion var hyppigt forekommende, hvilket indikerer et alvorligt cariesbillede hos børn og unge. Der er konstateret betydelig variation i tandsygdomsforekomsten efter distrikt i Grønland, hvilket afspejler forskellige risikoprofiler og forskelle i dækningsgrad af tandpleje. Udviklingsperspektiverne for cariesforekomsten i Grønland er fortsat dystre idet sygdomsniveauet gennem de seneste år konstant har ligget højt. Niveauet for carieserfaring er ekstraordinært højt sammenlignet med Danmark og andre nordiske lande. Der er behov for styrkelse af det populationsorienterede sundheds- og forebyggelsesarbejde, og det konkluderes at indførelse af saltfluoridering vil være en relevant strategi for forebyggelse af caries.
Caries experience in a time-perspective among children and adolescents in Greenland – challenges for disease prevention and health promotion: This report describes the occurrence of dental caries in children and adolescents in Greenland, and the disease pattern is analysed across districts and over time. Cross-sectional population surveys of children aged six, twelve and 15 years were carried out. Data were stored in the oral health information system established for the Greenland Public Dental Health Services, recording the dental health status of children served by the programme. Participation rate is approximately 100%. In 2003, the study population counted 645 six-year-olds, 587 twelve-year-olds, and 488 15-year-olds. Dental caries was clinically recorded according to the criteria used by the Danish Public Dental Health Services. About 80-90% of children in all age groups were affected by dental caries. In 2003, the mean number of 13.1 tooth surfaces was affected by dental caries in children aged six years, about 6.1 tooth surfaces were affected in tweleve-year-olds, and 10.2 surfaces at age 15. In all ages, high proportions of children had severe patterns of dental caries. Extensive variations by district in dental caries indices were observed for all age groups. The dental caries experience tends to increase with time in young children while the dental caries level remains stable for adolescents. In conclusion, the dental caries burden is high in children in Greenland compared to Denmark and the other Nordic countries. It is unrealistic to attempt to achieve international goals for oral health and thus, the strengthening of oral health promotion and disease prevention in urgently needed.
