Advances in Dental Research, Vol 3, 110-113, Copyright © 1989 by International & American Associations for Dental Research
Hypocalcification and hypoplasia in primary teeth of pre-school children from different ethnic groups in South Africa
J. A. Hargreaves, P. E. Cleaton-Jones, G. J. Roberts and S. D. Williams
A study was completed in 1985/86 which examined the dental health of
pre-school children from different ethnic groups and communities in South
Africa: rural black, urban black, urban colored, urban Indian, and urban
white. Enamel defects were recorded in primary teeth by use of the HHI, an
index developed to measure hypocalcification and hypoplasia of enamel. The
findings showed that colored children had the greatest number of enamel
defects. The teeth most commonly affected were the maxillary anterior teeth
and mandibular molar teeth. It is suggested that further epidemiological
studies utilizing the HHI should be undertaken in pre-school children,
especially from developing countries, to gain more information on the
causes of enamel defects in the primary dentition and the possible use of
such findings to predict nutritional health of individuals.
