Table 2. Criteria used to define caries experience in the samples from Niterói, Brazil.

Criteria
Caries Experience Level	DMFT	n
Young Adults [from 23 to 39 years of age]
Low caries experience	0–8	15
High caries experience	9 or higher	15
Middle age [from 40 to 59 years of age]
Low caries experience	0–19	84
High caries experience	20 or higher	117
Elderly [60 years of age and older]
Low caries experience	0–21	47
High caries experience	22 or higher	81