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An oral health survey of Western Samoans
Author(s) -
Camrass Rex
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1974.tb01788.x
Subject(s) - medicine , stratified sampling , sampling frame , dentistry , gingivitis , periodontal disease , family medicine , oral health , dental health , dentures , environmental health , population , pathology
Internationally accepted criteria established by the World Health Organization were used to obtain estimations of dental parameters in Western Samoa. A total of 1,680 subjects were presetected with the aid of a table of random digits from a sampling frame prepared by the World Health Organization's Filariasis Control Project, and a stratified multi‐stage design was adopted. The Dental Health Unit of the World Health Organization, Geneva supplied the basic data forms, prepared the computer program and processed the results. Dental caries indices in Western Samoa were shown to be very low, as were point prevalence rates for oral mucosal diseases, dentofacial anomalies and conditions needing immediate attention. Intense gingivitis among adolescents and destructive periodontal disease in adulthood were widespread and there was an unmet need for dentures in older age groups.