Oral health in Tuvalu.

Current WHO methods were employed to estimate the prevalence of oral pathology, dentofacial anomalies, periodontal disease, caries and prosthetic status as well as treatment needs in Tuvalu, a newly emergent nation in the South Pacific. Fluorosis was endemic but other disorders of teeth, mucosa or bone were extremely rare and the presence of dentofacial anomalies was very low. Periodontal disease was "moderate" at 15 years of age but seemed to be a predisposing factor in caries from the late teens onward. Comparison with a survey 8 years previously indicated that caries rates had risen from "very low" to "low" at 12 years of age but treatment services had improved markedly. More than half of person in the 55-64 year age group required full maxillary and mandibular dentures whilst 10% already possessed them.