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Only a weak association between periodontal disease and ascorbic acid deficiency has been shown in the analysis of nutritional and periodontal health data collected from a representative sample of the US population. Intake of ascorbic acid in amounts larger than those recommended by the dietary standards does not seem to be associated with better periodontal health. The results of this study also suggest that dental practitioners are better advised to concentrate on plaque control rather than vitamin C supplements to prevent and control periodontal disease in their patients.

A modelling exercise was carried out to examine the potential expenditure in a national incremental dental program for children aged six to 13. Using Relative Value Units (RVUs) as a proxy for dollars, the relative expenditures for care per child in fluoridated and fluoride-deficient areas were assessed. Dental treatment requirements were taken from existing data as far as possible. Arrangements for the delivery of care were based on existing pocicies of the American Dental Association, an services delivered were based on the recommendations of the American Academy of Pedodontics and the American Society of Dentistry for Children. Orthodontic care was limited to space maintainers and simple interceptive care. Children were assumed to receive initial care at age six, and annual maintenance care from ages seven to 13. The results showed that although restorative care would be 49.8 percent less expensive for children in fluoridated areas, total care would be only 11.9 percent less expensive. The major reason for this difference was the high proportion of annual maintenance-care costs that would be absorbed by diagnostic and preventive services using UCR fees. The necessity for much of this care is questioned under the conditions of this model, and some methods by which the dental profession might control the relatively high cost of diagnostic-preventive services are suggested.

There is a pressing need for a reliable, low-cost method of assessing the gingival and periodontal status of large population groups. Existing indexes, despite their value in dental public health, are still too subject to examiner variability for use by uncalibrated examiners. This study describes an evaluation of a quick, inexpensive, extraoral colorimetric test for gingival inflammation, based on a reaction between saliva and the test material. It could probably be applied by non-professional personnel. In this study, the test was applied to a population of elementary schoolchildren, denial hygiene students and faculty, and adult inmates of two correctional institutions. These populations were chosen on the assumption that they would exhibit varying intensities of gingival inflammation. Values obtained from the colorimetric test carried out by one researcher were compared with Gingival Index (GI) scores observed by a different examiner. Results suggest that the colorimetric test may be a valid, reliable means of detecting major differences in the prevalence of gingival inflammation in most adult populations, although having little, if any, useful application among children at the mixed dentition stage.

A description of the prevalence of edentulism, problems associated with use of dentures, and reported use of fluoride products in the civilian noninstitutionalized population is presented as collected from the Dental Care Supplement of the National Health Interview Survey, 1983. This report describes the prevalence of edentulism, problems associated with use of dentures, and reported use of fluoride products in the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. The statistics reported are based on a sample of 105,182 people about whom information was collected using the 1983 Dental Care Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Dental sealants are plastic resins that are applied to caries-susceptible pit-and-fissured tooth surfaces to prevent decay. Although there has been an overall decline in caries prevalence among United States schoolchildren, there has been a relative increase in the proportion of carious lesions occurring on the pit-and-fissured surfaces. The current caries pattern provides a rationale for sealant use.

LAQUE is the white sticky adherent film that forms on everyone's teeth. It has been defined as ". . . a soft concentrated mass consisting mainly of a large variety of bacteria held together in an intermicrobial substance" (1). e q~ Plaque contains the bacteria which under certain con~ .*%Ze! ditions become the causative organisms of both caries and periodontal disease. These bacteria are widely distributed in populations around the world (2), though some persons can harbor these organisms without the development of clinical disease, presumably because environmental conditions do not favor disease progression. This paper examines the etiological role ofplaque in oral disease, methods for disease prevention through its control, and some policy implications from current knowledge.

LUORIDATION is the addition of fluoride ion to a water supply so that the fluoride concentration reaches the optimum level to prevent a substantial degree of dental caries without leading to dental fluorosis. This optimum level usually ranges from 0.7 to i.o ppm, de040sce.' pending on climate; it could be even lower in some very hot climates. Fluoride is also used as a dietary supplement, as a therapeutic mouthrinse, in professionally-applied treatment in the dental office, and in toothpastes. This paper presents the epidemiological basis for fluoridation of water supplies and examines some of the political aspects of fluoridation. The scientific basis for alternative uses of fluoride will also be briefly examined and some policy suggestions made regarding the promotion offluoridation.