Some Epidemiological Aspects of Tooth Decay

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Abstract
Apparently there are marked differences in the distribution of dental diseases among groups of the population residing in various states of the U. S. These differences are reflected in the magnitude of the rejection rates for dental defects among men who have been drafted for military service. When the rejection rates of the states contributing to more than one draft are listed according to magnitude, considerable uniformity is observed in the resulting order of arrangement for each draft period. The possibility that these recurring phenomena can be explained entirely by chance, or by differing examining technics and criteria, is considered unlikely. Evidence tending to substantiate the probability that the observed differences are representative of the relative extent of the disease among the population of the respective states is offered by data resulting from the examination of naval recruits during 1934. The reasonableness of the hypothesis is further supported by data stemming from surveys of the extent of tooth decay among children residing in different geographical areas. The relationship between latitude and dental diseases, particularly tooth decay, has been used to illustrate some of the epidemiological aspects of the problem, but many other known and unknown conditions and circumstances undoubtedly influence the disease and its distribution. The study of dental diseases offers a particularly interesting and profitable field for the use of epidemiological methods.

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