Prevalence of dental caries among 6 - 12 year old schoolchildren in social marginated zones of Valencia, Spain

Prevalence of Dental Caries in Schoolchildren from the Galapagos Islands: ESSO-Gal Cohort Report

Objective

Dental caries remains a prevalent disease worldwide. Several epidemiological studies have shown that it affects the oral health of the pediatric population, and the Galapagos population in Ecuador is no exception. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dental caries and its association, based on baseline information from the Galapagos Oral Health Study (ESSO-Gal), in children of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 804 children aged 2-11 years. The prevalence of dental caries was assessed using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II) criteria, while the presence of dental biofilm was assessed using the Silness-Löe index. Descriptive statistics, including frequency analysis and measures of central tendency and dispersion, were performed. Inferential statistical analyses were conducted to identify associations between variables. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS version 25.0 statistical program.

Results

The caries prevalence rates based on ICDAS II codes 1-6, 1-2, and 3-6 were 98.01%, 96.9%, and 85%, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed among the different islands regarding the cutoff point for ICDAS II codes 3-6 (p ≤ 0.001). Participants aged 6-11 years had the highest caries prevalence.

Conclusions

The results show a high prevalence of dental caries among children in the Galapagos Islands, which increases with age. Contrary to expectations, the study did not find a significant correlation between the severity of dental caries and the presence of dental biofilm.

To Assess the Prevalence of Dental Caries and Its Association with Body Mass Index, Socioeconomic Status, Dietary Habits, and Oral Hygiene among 6-12-year-old Children in Faridabad

Aim

The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries and the body mass index (BMI) in included school-going children. Moreover, to examine the relationship between the prevalence of dental caries, BMI, and socioeconomic (SES) status and to evaluate sugar consumption and other dietary habits as risk factors for dental caries.

Materials and methods

The present cross-sectional study was performed among 400 school-going children aged 6-12 years from Faridabad city, Haryana. Parents filled out questionnaires for their respective children. The clinical examination of dental caries was performed according to World Health Organization (WHO) 1997. The BMI calculation was done by measuring height and weight.

Statistical analysis

The collected data were analyzed statistically using parametric and nonparametric tests.

Results

The prevalence of dental caries in deciduous teeth was 95.5% and in permanent teeth was 47.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study displayed the positive correlation of dental caries to BMI, oral hygiene practices, beverages, aerated drinks, chips, candy, and tea/coffee. Whereas the SES status and dietary habits Jam group variable had no significance in relation to dental caries.

How to cite this article

Kapil D, Saraf BG, Sheoran N, et al. To Assess the Prevalence of Dental Caries and Its Association with Body Mass Index, Socioeconomic Status, Dietary Habits, and Oral Hygiene among 6-12-year-old Children in Faridabad. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(4):626-632.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dental Caries in Syrian Immigrant Children Aged 6-12 Years

Immigrant children are among the groups that are sensitive to problems related to dental health. The aim of this study was to examine the dental caries of Syrian immigrant children. The study is a descriptive and retrospective study. Its population consists of Syrian immigrant children aged 6-12 years who were screened for dental health in the year 2022 in Istanbul. DMF-T (permanent teeth) and dmf-t (milk teeth) indices were used, which are the (t-T) criteria obtained by dividing the sum of caries (d-D), caries extracted (m-M) and caries-filled (f-F) teeth by the number of people examined. Higher dmft and DMFT scores indicate worse dental health. Dental screening was performed on 549 Syrian immigrant children. In total, 27.2% (n = 149) were brushing their teeth once a day and 97.3% of the children (n = 534) had at least one decayed tooth. The dmft score for the 6-7 year age (6.45 ± 3.33) group was significantly higher than the 8-9 year (4.98 ± 2.78) and 10-12 year (3.22 ± 2.02) age groups (p < 0.001). In our study, the dental caries were seen at a very-high frequency among immigrant children and the habit of tooth brushing remains at a low level. Lower age was the relevant factor for dental caries in our study.

Factors Affecting Dental Caries Experience in 12-Year-Olds, Based on Data from Two Polish Provinces

(1) Background: Dental caries is a chronic disease that affects a child’s dentition from the first stages of life. Several factors contribute to the development of the disease, including an improper diet. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify risk factors of dental caries in 12-year-old adolescents from Greater Poland and Lubusz Provinces (Poland). (2) Material and methods: The research was conducted in adolescents from five primary schools. A questionnaire consisted of close-ended questions on socioeconomic characteristics on family, diet, and oral hygiene habits. An assessment of the dentition was carried out in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. In addition to cavitated carious lesions, incipient caries lesions were noted according to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System, adapted for epidemiological studies (ICDASepiDMFt). (3) Results: The mean number of teeth with untreated caries; removed due to caries; and restored because of caries (DMFt) was 1.52 ± 1.90, while the ICDASepiDMFt index amounted to 2.64 ± 2.55, respectively. Children who did not brush every day had significantly higher odds of having ICDASepiDMFt > 0 than children brushing at least once daily (OR = 10.32, 95% CI = 1.36−78.32, p = 0.0240). Adolescents who drank sweet carbonated drinks every day had significantly higher ICDASepiDMTt than children who drank sweet carbonated drinks less frequently (p = 0.0477). (4) Conclusions: The research revealed that dental caries indices of 12-year-old adolescents from Greater Poland and Lubusz Provinces depend mainly on oral hygiene behaviors. The only significant nutritional factor that differentiated the caries intensity was the daily consumption of sweet carbonated drinks.

Children's dental treatment requirements of first permanent molars with poor prognosis

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective study aimed to (i) survey the correlation between decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT), and presence of first permanent molars (FPMs) with poor prognosis and (ii) evaluate the treatment requirements.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seven hundred seventy-three children with fully erupted FPMs were included in this study. DMFT for the permanent dentition, FPMs, and Global DMFT were evaluated based on clinical and radiographic evaluation. The ratio of deep dentin caries (DDC) and apical lesion presence among FPMs, including treatment requirements, were analysed. Spearman rank correlation coefficient and t tests were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The caries prevalence was found at 61.4%, where the mean DMFT was calculated as 1.89 ± 2.15. There was a positive correlation between DMFT values and age (r_s = 0.27). On the other hand, there was a negative correlation between global DMFT values and age (r_s =  - 0.29). Regarding treatment needs of FPM with poor prognosis, 12.03% of the teeth needed pulpectomy, 8.93% pulpotomy, 8.93% pulp capping, and 5.3% extraction. Having higher DMFT values was correlated significantly (p < 0.01) with the presence of DDC (r_s = 0.50) and apical lesion (r_s = 0.34). Susceptibility to DDC and apical lesions was significantly higher at mandible than maxilla (p < 0.01). The correlation was significant between DMFT values and apical lesion presence (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The ratio of FPMs with poor prognosis was found high in the study group. Treatment requirements of FPMs increased with age, and pulp interventions often took part in the majority. This study successfully concluded that higher DMFT values were correlated with the presence of DDC and apical lesion.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

FPMs with poor prognosis demonstrate a risk factor for apical lesion presence.

Effect of a Preventive Oral Health Program Starting during Pregnancy: A Case-Control Study Comparing Immigrant and Native Women and Their Children

The objective was to evaluate whether including pregnant women in a preventive dental program prevented the appearance of caries in their children up to the age of 6, and whether the effect was similar in children of immigrant and non-immigrant women. In phase I, 90 pregnant women, 45 immigrants and 45 natives, were taught about the development and prevention of caries. In phase II the oral health of their children at the age of 6 (n = 90) was evaluated, along with a control group of children of natives and immigrants of the same age (n = 90). A survey was used to determine participants' backgrounds and habits. A multivariate study of the results was performed using R-core software. The number of children without caries was 128 (71.1%), whereas 52 (28.9%) had caries, 15 from the protocol (16.67%) and 37 from the control group (41.11%), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001). The mean number of caries for the children in the protocol was 0.62 ± 2 and in the control group it was 1.88 ± 2.9 (p = 0.001). In the multivariate analysis the risk of developing caries was higher for the condition of being the child of an immigrant (OR = 11.137), inadequate oral health (OR = 4.993), the children being overweight at the age of 6 (OR = 10.680), and the consumption of candies (OR = 5.042). In conclusion, the preventive protocols started during pregnancy reduced caries in participants' children, which suggests that these protocols should be encouraged. Because immigrant children are more vulnerable to caries, they and their parents should be included in preventive programs once they arrive in the host country.