Pages 741-743 in G. Pétursdóttir et al., eds. Circumpolar Health 93. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 20-25, 1993. Arctic Medical Research. 1994;53(Suppl.2)
Pages 741-743 in G. Pétursdóttir et al., eds. Circumpolar Health 93. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 20-25, 1993. Arctic Medical Research. 1994;53(Suppl.2)
Caries prevalence, incidence, sugar consumption, counts of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli were investigated in �órshöfn, a fishing community in NE Iceland traditionally believed to have high levels of caries. 115 children were examined (>90% of each age group). At 6 years the mean DMFS score was 6.7 (40% caries-free). DMFS scores at 12 years and 15 years were 4.3 and 6.0 respectively. Fissure-sealed surfaces were a mean of 0.9 at 6 years, 4.5 at 12 years, and 5.0 at 15 years. Mutans streptococci were carried by 69% and lactobacilli by 46%. Sugar consumption determined by a questionnaire recalling food eaten the previous day revealed a mean daily frequency of sugar use of 8.7 instances, and the average number of between-meal snacks or drinks was 6.2 per day. Despite the relatively low caries prevalence, by standardized definitions 51.4% of children in this study misused sugar.