CARIES EXPERIENCE AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDREN IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

¹ Department of Pedodontics, University of Oregon Dental School, Portland, Ore.

A study was conducted for the purpose of determining the caries experience of children living in four institutions located in the states of Oregon and Washington.

Dental examinations were made on 327 school children from the ages of 6 through 14 years.

The results of this study are not in agreement with the generally accepted opinion that institutionalized children tend to be less susceptible to caries attack than children attending public schools.

An investigation of the over-all food intake of the children while in residence at the institutions showed that their diet could be considered well balanced.

The fact that the children of this study lived outside the institutions during the summer months may have been the main reason for the high caries experience rates observed among them.