Oral health in Latvian 15-year-olds

Caries Prevalence and Severity for 12-Year-Old Children in Latvia

Objectives

To study caries prevalence/severity in 12-year-old children in Latvia and potential risk indicators.

Methods

A cross-sectional oral-health national survey of 12-year-old children was conducted in 2016. A nationally representative stratified-cluster probabilistic sample of 2,138 pupils in 92 schools was selected. Children were examined by seven calibrated examiners (kappa inter-examiner, intra-examiner scores of 0.71–0.77, 0.81–0.97, respectively) at school. Enamel-non-cavitated decay (D₁), enamel cavitation (D₃), dentine cavitation (D₅), missing (M) or filled (F) status at the tooth (T)/surface (S) levels were evaluated, and decayed, missing, and filled (DMF) index scores for severity, along with the Significant Caries Index (SiC), were calculated. An associated caries factor questionnaire was completed by participants.

Results

The prevalence of caries was 98.5% for D₁MFT, 79.7% for D₃MFT, and 71.9% for D₅MFT. The means (standard deviations) for severity were 9.2 (5.3) for D₁MFT, 3.3 (3.0) for D₃MFT, and 2.4 (2.4) for D₅MFT, and 5.6 (2.1) for the SiC. Indicators associated with a lower risk of caries (D5MFT) were irregular dental visits (prevalence odds ratio POR = 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36, 0.56) and irregular use of mouthwashes (POR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.89).

Conclusions

We found a high caries prevalence and severity in 12 year-old children in Latvia. Although the WHO target for 2010 (D₅MFT ≤ 3) is met, the values for caries prevalence (D₅MFT > 0 = 71.9%) and severity (D₅MFT = 2.5) in 12-year-old Latvian children are higher than the European averages (D₅MFT > 0 = 52%, D₅MFT = 1.1).

Effect of oral health behavior and demographic variables on gingival health in 11-16-year-old school children in Chandigarh, India: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence and pattern of gingival bleeding on probing (BOP) and to evaluate the effect of oral health behavior and demographic determinants on gingival health in 11-16-year-old school children in Chandigarh, India.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study, using stratified random sampling, was conducted across two age groups, 11-13 years and 14-16 years, and two socioeconomic strata: upper and lower. The World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Questionnaire for Children was used to record the data, and the WHO Community Periodontal Index (modified) was used to assess gingival BOP.

RESULTS

Among all the 2294 children examined, an estimated 54.2% had gingival BOP. The odds of BOP were also higher in the younger age group (odds ratio [OR]: 1.261, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.068-1.487, P = 0.006), higher for boys (OR: 1.200, 95% CI: 1.017-1.416, P = 0.031), and lower in the upper strata (OR: 0.805, 95% CI: 0.682-0.951, P = 0.011). Gingival BOP was 58.5% in the mandibular and 41.5% in the maxillary arch (P < 0.0001); χ² -test found tooth cleaning frequency to be a significant contributing factor for gingival BOP (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

An inverse co-relation of gingival BOP with age, socioeconomic status, and a higher prevalence in boys was observed, necessitating periodic preventive dental education, particularly focusing on the target group. Additionally, early screening and prompt treatment to intercept the disease is advocated.

Survey on the Condition of First Permanent Molars in 15-year-old Students in Ahwaz, Iran in 2005

Background and aims

Many children still face active and uncontrolled dental caries and data is needed for evaluating the situation in many parts of the country. The aim of the present survey was to evaluate the oral health of the young population of Ahwaz, Iran in 2005.

Materials and methods

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 600 15-year-old students were se-lected randomly. Data was gathered with clinical examination and a questionnaire, collecting data of DMFT of first permanent molars, OHI-S, oral hygiene and nutrition habits, and parents’ education. Statistical analysis was performed by descriptive statistics and t-test.

Results

Mean DMFT of first permanent molars was 1.84 ± 1.54, with a higher value seen among girls. Mean decayed teeth component was 1.56, followed by filled (0.17) and missing (0.1) components. Higher DMFT values were significantly associated with poor OHI-S score (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

The observed oral hygiene status among the 15-year-olds necessitates implementing pre-ventive as well as restorative measures to improve the oral health status of the young population.

Dental caries in schoolchildren of an Estonian and a Danish municipality

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the study were to describe the prevalence rate and the severity of dental caries in Estonian schoolchildren aged 7 and 12 and to compare the findings with those of Danish children.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional surveys in Estonia and Denmark, clinical oral examinations of children in 1997.

SAMPLES AND METHODS

In Estonia, 195 children aged 7 and 215 children of age 12 were selected in the municipality of Tartu in schools identified for oral health promotion projects. In Denmark, the study included 637 7-year-olds and 642 12-year-olds living in the municipality of Horsens and served by the Public Dental Health Service for children. All children in the two countries were examined by calibrated dentists for dental caries according to the Recording System for the Danish Public Dental Health Service.

RESULTS

At age 7, 83.8% of Estonian children had dental caries (7.7 dmfs) against 62.1% of Danish children (5.3 dmfs). At age 12, the mean caries experience was 2.1 DMFS in Estonia against 1.3 DMFS of the Danish children. Most of the caries indices were due to the high d/D components and approximal caries was prominent. In the study area in Estonia, the content of fluoride in drinking water was optimal (0.8-1.5 p.p.m.) whereas the level of fluoride was low in the Danish municipality (0.2 p.p.m.).

CONCLUSION

In the Baltic states, the oral health systems are in transition. For the continuous improvement of oral health in childrens' reorientation of services should consider implementation of community-based oral health promotion and the schools provide an excellent setting for preventive oral care.