Dental Caries Experience and Tobacco Use in 19-year-old Croatian Army Recruits

The aim of this study is to investigate caries prevalence and smoking habit in the population of 19-year-old Croatian male recruits. Dental examination of 505 male recruits was conducted in 2001 in the military centre in Koprivnica. Caries status was described by the FS-T (Filled and Sound Teeth) index and DMFT (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth) index. Mean DMFT scores were 7.32 and FST 23.56. There was a significant statistical difference in comparison of smoking habits depending on the reason to visit the dentist (p=0.001). The subjects who do not smoke tobacco have less decayed teeth (DT index with p