ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine gingival status and caries experience among 12 and 15- year old school children in the middle and South regions of Jordan
Methods: Data were collected through a clinical examination carried out by a calibrated examiner for 1,914 school children, 633 girls and 1,281 boys [943 in Southern Jordan and 971 in Central Jordan] in twenty two schools. All present teeth were examined including primary teeth. Loe and Silness gingival index was used to detect the gingival condition while dental caries experience was assessed using decayed, missing and filled teeth index
Results: Gingivitis was detected in 31.4% of the 12 year olds compared to 52.6% of the 15 year olds. Prevalence of dental caries for 12 year olds was 89.7%, the mean decayed; missing and filled teeth 2.65 +/- 1.15 and gingival score 0.47 +/- 0.81. For students aged 15 years prevalence of dental caries was 94.8%, decayed, missing and filled teeth 2.82 +/- 1.36 and gingival score 0.73 +/- 0.83. For the study population, older subjects tended to have higher decayed, missing and filled teeth [2.82 +/-1.36] than younger [2.65 +/- 1.15] and gingival scores were also higher in older [0.73 +/- 0.83] than younger [0.47 +/- 0.81] and the difference was statistically significant [P = 0.00]. The difference in mean decayed, missing and filled teeth and gingival index between Southern and Central Jordan was statistically significant [P = 0.00]. Boys tended to have significantly higher decayed, missing and filled teeth index and gingival scores than girls [P = 0.00]
Conclusion: Caries experience and gingival scores were significantly higher in boys than girls and in 15 than 12 year old school children. These scores were also worse among students in South regions of Jordan compared to those in the middle regions. A need to build a school-based oral health services is evident and both preventive and restorative approaches should be adopted for school children