Limitations of using visual-tactile exams (cont.)
	In assessing dental caries, we measure both past and “present” episodes of the disease n Surveillance generally does not measure past events – such as past episodes of influenza or active TB – or how many of these infections occurred in the lifespan of the individual n Most clinical presentations of dental caries represent the past n Restorations and missing teeth not always direct consequence of dental caries – Therefore may be invalid in identifying populations at risk for oral diseases
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