Caries prevalence in 6-36-month-old Brazilian children.

The prevalence of dental caries was determined in 322 Brazilian children aged 6 to 36 months. The earliest age at which initial and manifest caries were recorded in children were 6-12 months and 13-18 months respectively. Sixty-five per cent of the children were caries free. Seventeen per cent of the affected children showed 46 per cent of the total caries lesions, which demonstrates the need for early identification of those children with a high caries risk.