March 2006

Volume 23, Issue 1

Dental caries experience of Kuwaiti schoolchildren

Authors: P. Soparkar Y. Al-Duwairi M. Shyama S.A. Al-Mutawaa
doi:

Abstract

Objective This study was designed to measure the dental caries experience of Kuwaiti schoolchildren. Methods A national epidemiologic survey of the 5-14 year old children (n = 4,588) was conducted in the 5 governorates of Kuwait in 2001. Eight trained and calibrated dentists examined the children. Dental caries was scored using WHO criteria. Results In the primary dentition, the percentage of 5- and 6-year-old children with dft = 0 was 12.6% and 14.4% respectively. The corresponding mean dft/dfs for 5- and 6-year-olds were 4.6/9.7 and 4.6/9.9. For the permanent dentition, the percentage of 12- and 14-year-old children with DMFT = 0 was 26.4% and 21.7% respectively. The corresponding mean DMFT/DFS figures for 12- and 14-year-olds were 2.6/3.4 and 3.9/4.2. The d/D component was the major contributor to these mean scores. Poor oral hygiene (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.7 - 2.4) and increasing age (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.3 - 1.5) were significantly associated with caries risk in the permanent dentition. Conclusions Caries levels are similar to those in neighbouring and other Middle East countries. There is a clear need for expanding the national school oral health programme to reach those children who are not yet receiving systematic preventive and curative services. Further studies are required to monitor the effect of the extensive caries preventive programme now in place in Kuwait. Key words: dental caries, Kuwait, schoolchildren

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Oral Health in 8-9 year-old children in Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) and in two Hungarian cities (Budapest and Debrecen) 26-30 Download
Dental caries experience of Kuwaiti schoolchildren 31-36 Download
Dental caries and enamel fluorosis among the fluoridated population in the Republic of Ireland and non fluoridated population in Northern Ireland in 2002 37-43 Download
BASCD Survey report - The dental caries experience of 11-year-old children in Great Britain. Surveys coordinated by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry in 2004 / 2005 44-57 Download
Short communication - Areca nut use amongst South Asian schoolchildren in Tower Hamlets, London: The extent to which the habit is engaged in within the family and used to suppress hunger 58-60 Download
50th Anniversary Conference on Salt Fluoridation Zurich, 17th October 2005 61-61 Download

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