LYON—CONARD—GLASSFORD . .. VOLUME 68, JANUARY 1964 © 53/35
tic enamel lesions in deciduous incisors.
According to the local dental practitioners, these conditions, with the exception of
the high caries incidence, are common to
all Marshallese population groups.
Irradiated and Control Populations °
Using local facilities and interpreters,
the medicodental team carried out complete physical examinations in Rongelap.
Emergency dental treatment was administered during the course of examination
procedures. After completing examina-
tions in Rongelap, the team proceeded to
Uterik to finish the study.
RESULTS
Patient data were arranged according to
age groups (table). Certain aspects re-
quire further elaboration, as follows:
Cartes and Developmental Growth *
1. Rongelap children ages | to 5 born
of irradiated parents:
As of March 1959, 16 children had
been born of parents receiving the highest
total body radiation dose (175 R). One
child, born of parents receiving 70 R, was
in the third trimester at the time of exposure. Of the irradiated Rongelap group,
three children were in utero at the time
3. Rongelap irradiated children, 6 to
18 years old:
Of 25 patients, dental caries was present in 16 children (64 per cent}, averaging 3.3 carious teeth each. There was
no visible evidence of radiation injury or
alteration in morphology in teeth which
had erupted since exposure to fallout.
4. Rongelap control children, 6 to 18
years old:
Dental caries was present in 18 of the
35 children (51 per cent) in this group.
These 18 children averaged 3.2 carious
teeth each.
5. Uterik children, ages 1 to 5 years,
born of irradiated parents (14 R):
Of 21 children examined, dental caries
was present in eight subjects (38 per
cent). One child had 22 decayed teeth;
the remaining seven averaged 4.3 carious
teeth each.
6. Irradiated Uterik children (14 R),
ages 6 to 18 years:
Dental caries was present in 14 of the
36 children examined (39 per cent). The
average for these 14 subjects was 3.0 cari-
ous teeth each.
7. Rongelap irradiated adults, ages 19
to 35 years:
Fifteen (79 per cent) of 19 patients
had dental caries with an average of 2.3
decayed teeth each.
of initial exposure—two in the third
trimester, and one in the first. Of 15
children examined, carious lesions were
present in five patients (33 per cent),
averaging 3 carious teeth each. No abnor-
malities in tooth form, jaw morphology
or growth and development of the oral
structures that differed from the children
of nonirradiated parents were observed
in these patients.
2. Rongelap control children, ages 1
to 5 years, born of nonirradiated parents:
Dental caries was present in 11 (39
per cent) of the 28 children in this group.
These 11 children averaged four carious
teeth each. Tooth form, jaw morphology
and growth patterns were similar to those
in the children born of irradiated parents.
Table « Dental caries activity in radiated and nonirradiated patients
NUMBER
OF
POPULATION GROUP
AGES I-Sbomof
PATIENTS
PERCENT NO. LESIONS AVERAGE NO
WITH
PER PATIENTILESIONS PER:
Cares CARES wITH CARIES| PORGROUP
15
5
33
3.0
1.0
sited28
un
39
40
(16
Ocarina|
25
AGES 6-16
16
64
3.3
20
(“mentees| 35
18
Sl
13.2
16
eeesee 2
3
38
65"
25
Coun
360(«d(|«4s«|
39
3.0
2.2
\Teapaten
arsa
AGES, 19-35
19
13
79
|23
{148
uaa| 35
20
57
|28
16
rodiated parents @75r)
|
NUMBER
WITH
dd
radiated goreat (14r}
AGES 6-18
® Gas child hod 22 lesions The remaining seven averaged 4.2 etions