Dental caries among children in Georgia by age, gender, residence location and ethnic group.

OBJECTIVE: To provide prevalence data for dental caries in Georgia. METHODS: This World Health Organization pathfinder survey was conducted among 1,351 (6, 12 and 15 year-old) Georgian children, representing the main ethnic groups in urban and rural locations. Caries was analysed at univariate and multivariate levels, according to age, gender, urban/rural locality and ethnic group. RESULTS: Caries experience levels among 6-year-olds were dmft = 4.57, sd 3.42 (14.8% caries-free); DMFT = 2.04 (sd 2.02) among 12-year-olds (31.1% caries-free); and DMFT = 3.51 (sd 3.14) for the 15-year-olds (17.7% caries-free). Urban children at ages 6 and 12 years were more likely to be caries-free and have both lower levels of caries-experience and higher levels of filled or restored teeth. In multivariate regression analyses, most age groups showed a significant contribution from residence location. No differences were found by age and no consistent differences were detected by ethnic group. CONCLUSION: These data should provide the baseline for formulating and conducting public oral health efforts in Georgia, with emphases on rural residence locations.