Reduction of caries in 8-year-old Swedish children between 1967 and 1979

Abstract
The caries prevalence of groups of 8-yr-old children in Umea, Sweden, examined in 1967, 1971, 1975 and 1979 is described. A reduction of caries of 45% in the permanent teeth and 54% in the primary teeth is shown between 1967-1979. During the same period, there was a gradual extension of dental care for children and adolescents, and there was an increasing emphasis on preventive dentistry. The reduction in caries does not continue at the same rapid rate. Further preventive efforts, therefore, ought to be focused on those individuals with the highest caries indices.