The use of an index of material deprivation to identify groups of children at risk to dental caries in County Durham.

An investigation of the potential for an index of material deprivation to indicate groups of young children at risk to dental caries and to assess caries experience in their age group at three levels of deprivation, measured by the Townsend Index, was undertaken in County Durham. Electoral wards were ranked on an index of material deprivation derived from 1991 Census data. Dental caries data for the upper quartile, inter-quartile range and lower quartile of material deprivation in the County were obtained from a dental survey of 6052 five-year-old children in 1991-92. The number of children in each group ranged from 1145 to 3058. Significant differences in dental caries experience between high, middle and low ranges of material deprivation existed. The index of material deprivation can indicate groups of children in the community at high and low risk of dental caries.