Prevalence and distribution by tooth type and surface of developmental defects of dental enamel in a group of 15- to 16-year-old children in South Wales.

In 1984 the prevalence and distribution of developmental defects of dental enamel in 791 children aged 15-16 years was determined using the DDE index. The children were all residents of the county of South Glamorgan, Wales, which has a public water supply containing less than 0.1 mg fluoride/litre. The teeth were dried but not cleaned prior to examination and a dental operating light was used for illumination. Teeth with some type of defective enamel were seen in 50.1 per cent of children. White/single opacities were present in 28.3 per cent of children and white/diffuse, patchy opacities in 10.2 per cent of children. The enamel was abnormal in 5.71 per cent of all teeth with white/single opacities and white/diffuse, patchy opacities occurring in 1.81 per cent and 1.66 per cent of teeth respectively. There were no significant differences between boys and girls in terms of mouth or tooth prevalence of defects. Overall, 7.6 per cent of maxillary teeth were affected compared to 4.3 per cent of mandibular teeth. Most teeth were affected equally on right and left sides of the mouth except for maxillary lateral incisors and canines which had significantly more defects on the right (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.005 respectively) and maxillary second molars, which had significantly more defects on the left (P less than 0.01). Maxillary central incisors (15.2 per cent) were affected by enamel defects most often followed by maxillary first molars (9.1 per cent) and maxillary lateral incisors and mandibular first molars (both 8.3 per cent).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)