OBJECTIVETo investigate caries status of primary and permanent teeth among 6-year-old children in Sichuan Province and correlation between caries of deciduous molars and first permanent molars.

METHODSReferenced to the sampling programme of the third national epidemiological survey of oral health status, a total of 714 children aged 6 were randomly sampled in clusters including 3 urban sampling spots and 3 rural sampling spots, the correlation between caries of deciduous molars and first permanent molars was explored.

RESULTSThe prevalence rate of deciduous tooth caries of 6-year-old children in Sichuan province was 74.37%, the mean number of dmft of 6-year-old was 3.94 +/- 3.93, the filling rate was only 4.96%. The prevalence rate and mean dmft of deciduous tooth caries showed no significant difference between different area and gender (P>0.05), however, the children came from city showed significant higher filling rate than those from countryside (P<0.05). The first permanent molars erupted have 2.98% in caries, the filling rate was 7.69%. Caries of deciduous molars was the first permanent molars caries risk factors among 6-year-old children in Sichuan province [P=0.001, r=0.175, OR=5.756, 95%CI (1.733, 19.121)]. There was weak correlation between caries of deciduous molars and first permanent molars (P<0.001, r=0.194).

CONCLUSIONCaries status of primary among 6-year-old children in Sichuan Province are serious. Caries experience of deciduous molars may play an important role in predicting the first permanent molars caries in clinic and prevention.