Dental caries on permanent dentition in primary school children — Ndola, Zambia, 2017

Abstract

Dental caries is a major oral health problem affecting 60-90% of children in developing countries . This study aimed to determine the prevalence of caries and associated factors in permanent dentition among primary school children. A cross sectional study was conducted using a modified 2007 WHO questionnaire and a 1997 WHO oral health survey clinical examination tool. Ethical approval and permission to conduct the study were obtained from relevant authorities. The Chi-squared test was used to determine associations, with the level of significance set at the 5%. A total of 365 children were enrolled of which 48.5% were males. The age range was 5-17 years. The overall prevalence of caries in permanent teeth was 47(12.9%). Geographical location (p=0.022) and family income (p= 0.014) were significantly associated with caries, although only family income was statistically significant (odds ratio [OR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.46 - 0.92) in a multivariate analysis. The lower left first molar (9.0%) was the most often affected. None of the children had a tooth with a filled cavity. Less than half, 177 (48.5%), brushed their teeth for 2 or more minutes daily and only 71 (19.5%) had been for a dental check-up. Promotion of regular dental check-ups in schools and application of fissure sealants to children at high risk of developing caries is recommended.