Introduction

Epidemiology surveys conducted periodically in the same age groups allow assessment of the rate of changes in the burden of caries as well as the needs concerning prophylaxis and treatment. They also indicate the necessary course of action with regard to the promotion of oral health.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to perform a comparative assessment of the dental health and the needs with regard to caries treatment in 5-year-old children in Mazowieckie Province in 2011 and 2016.

Material and methods

An analysis was conducted of the results of the epidemiological surveys of children aged five years conducted in Mazowieckie Province in 2011 and 2016 within the framework of Monitoring of Dental Health and Its Determinants. The analysis compared the prevalence and severity of caries (dmft/DMFT), the values of care indices and the needs with regard to treatment of caries and its complications. The statistical analysis employed the t-test to compare the means between the groups and the c2 test to compare the percentages. The analyses were performed using Statistica 12 software.

Results

Over a period of five years, the percentage of children free from caries in Mazowieckie Province increased from 18.8% to 21.7%. In 2011, the dmft index was 6.02 and decreased in 2016 to the value of 5.33 ± 4.58. In 2011, the SiC index was 10 and the dmft index for the remaining 2/3 of the study group was 2.2. In 2016, SiC increased slightly, reaching the value of 10.75 ± 2.53, while dmft for the remaining 2/3 of the study group was 2.61 ± 2.45. The percentage of children in whom no treatment needs were identified increased from 22.7% in 2011 to 24.3% in 2016.

Conclusions

Despite the fact that the needs for care due to dental caries in 5-year-old children were satisfied at a similarly low level in 2011 and 2016, the values of indices concerning dental caries in primary and permanent teeth and the needs for treatment of extensive carious cavities and pulp pathology were decreased. The increase in caries polarisation in primary teeth stresses the necessity of continued monitoring of this population in order to develop tools that will enable a systemic approach to distinguishing groups of children that require enhanced preventive and curative measures.