Epidemiology, prevention and control of oral diseases in pediatric subjects

Caries and periodontal diseases are a neglected epidemic by millions of Italians who suffer unnecessarily from them. Both diseases are preventable and the combination of high prevalence, high morbidity and relative inattention from the National Health Service (NHS), makes caries and periodontal disease a significant public health problem. In this perspective, the World Health Organization and the University of Milan have promoted a national epidemiological study aimed at a sample of 4, 6 and 12-years-old students from schools in the North, Central and South of Italy. The study provides for the administration of a questionnaire to parents and a dental examination carried out at school by den…