Kies-voor-Tanden Study: the incidence of caries among 5-year-olds in the Netherlands
This second in a series of 5 articles in the context of the 2017 Kies-voor-Tanden study presents the results for 5-year-olds. The study was conducted among 5-year-olds living in Alphen aan den Rijn, Gouda, Breda or Den Bosch and consisted of completing a questionnaire and undergoing a clinical oral examination. 76% of the 5-year-olds had a caries-free deciduous dentition. This percentage represented an increase compared to previous research. No change was seen in children with caries experience. In 2017, there were still differences in oral health among the socio-economic groups, in favour of the highest socio-economic group. Conclusion: the oral health of the 5-year-olds seems to be moving in the right direction, but there is still a social gradient and there is still room for improvement. For risk groups, interventions to keep the teeth intact should be aimed primarily at improving behaviour and oral health self-care to prevent caries.