ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate the caries prevalence, severity and pattern in female schoolchildren in Dhahran and Al-Khobar [Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia]. The study included 472 female schoolchildren from public schools and 667 female schoolchildren from private schools in Dhahran and Al-Khobar. All the participating students were clinically examined for dental caries, filled and missing teeth. The total number of female students examined in the study was 895; 472 from public schools and 423 from private schools. The overall caries prevalence was 80.73 % with a mean DMFT score of 4.4+/- 3.9. For public schools, the caries prevalence was 93.05% with a mean DMFT score of 7.87+/- 3.77, while for private schools, the prevalence of dental caries was 68.39% with a mean DMFT score of 2.31+/- 2.62. The results showed that prevalence of dental caries was 87.5%, 92.6% and 99.4% respectively in grade I, VII and X female schoolchildren from public schools. The mean caries scores were 5.94 +/- 4.14, 4.39 +/- 2.83 and 9.13+/- 4.34 respectively in grade I, VII and X public female schoolchildren. In private schools, the prevalence of dental caries was 62.3% for grade I, 70.27% for grade VII and 72.62% for grade X schoolchildren. The mean caries scores were 2.26+/-2.78, 2.12+/-2.39, and 2.54+/-2.69 respectively. The prevalence and severity of dental caries was found to be higher in public schools as compared to the private schools. It can be concluded that caries prevalence and se-verity were very high among female schoolchildren in Dhahran and Al-Khobar regions. The overall caries experience was higher in schoolchildren from public schools as compared to the private schools
ABSTRACT
To determine the oral health knowledge of health care workers in special children's center. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect following information: demographics, oral hygiene practices, importance of fluoride, dental visits, cause of tooth decay, gingival health, and sources of oral health information. The study was conducted at Riyadh Center for Special Children in Riyadh City from December 2013 to May 2014. All 60 health care workers in the center completed the questionnaire. A great majority [95%] of the workers brushed their teeth twice or more daily. More than two-third [71.7%] of the workers knew that fluoride helps in caries prevention. One in five [21.7%] workers thought that a dental visit only becomes necessary in case of a dental problem. Similarly, 13.3% of the workers thought to "wait till there is some pain in case of a dental cavity" before seeking dental treatment. The workers ranked soft drinks/soda [98.3%], flavored fizzy drinks [60%] and sweetened/flavored milks [43.3%] as top three cariogenic drinks. A great majority [95%] of the workers correctly responded that blood on toothbrush most probably is a sign of "gum disease". Dentists [50%] and media [45%] were the main source of their oral health information. There was no significant difference [p > 0.05] in workers' response in relation to their specific job. The special health care workers in the disabled children's center generally had satisfactory oral health knowledge and practices