Prevelence Of Disease

Question 1

What is meant by the term prevalence

Answer 1

The summary of the dental health of a population of people

Question 2

What is the purpose of the DMFT score?

Answer 2

Summarises prevalence of dental disease in children

Question 3

Describe DMFT

Answer 3

An index created in 1938 to summarise prevalence of dental disease
Decayed 
Missing
Filled
Teeth 

The score is the sum of the scores for each component

Question 4

What are the draw backs of the DMFT score?

Answer 4

Hard to determine the reason behind missing teeth ?ortho ?disease ?trauma
Components unequal in impact- missing tooth more severe than filled
Does not allow for measurement of beneficial interventions
Lumps past tx with current disease

Question 5

What is meant by epidemiology

Answer 5

The study and analysis of letters and causes of disease in defined populations
Study into The influencing factors which determine aetiology factors eg. Frequency of sugars determined by education level of parents and income level.

Question 6

Describe the vipeholm study

Answer 6

Vipeholm study 1954
Investigated how caries activity was influenced by different forms of sugars
6 test groups and 1 control
Given different forms of sugars at different intervals and results recorded
Conclusion- sugar consumed between meals and in form with tendency to be retained on tooth surface prove greatest risk