Dental health of children in Australia, 1977-1985.

Dental caries and oral hygiene indices for school children aged four to 13 years have been determined each year since 1977. This report is based on 6 228 972 examinations. For children aged six to 13 years the mean DIMF indices declined by 59.3 per cent. For 12-year-old children the mean DIMF indices declined from 4.79 in 1977 to 2.13 in 1985; it is calculated that the DIMF index for this age group will be 1.5 in 1991. While a major decline in dental caries has been observed, a significant proportion of children continue to have a caries problem. Girls of all ages had lower mean oral hygiene indices than boys; the index for girls and boys combined declined by 26 per cent in the period 1977 to 1985.