Dental caries prevalence and treatment needs among 12- and 15- Year old schoolchildren in Shimla city, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Context: Dental caries is one of the commonest oral diseases in children. Despite this fact, not many studies have been done on this issue among school children in Shimla. Aim: To assess the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs among schoolchildren aged 12 years and 15 years in Shimla city, Himachal Pradesh, India. With this study we also aimed to establish reliable baseline data. Design: Cross-sectional study. Materials and Materials: This study was conducted among 12 - and 15 - year old schoolchildren in Shimla city, Himachal Pradesh-India. A sample of 1011 schoolchildren was selected by a two-stage cluster sampling method. Clinical recording of dental caries, was done according to WHO diagnostic criteria (1997). Statistical Analysis: The statistical tests used were the t- test, and the Chi-square test. Results: The prevalence of dental caries was 32.6% and 42.2% at 12 years and 15 years respectively. At 12 years of age, the mean Decayed Missing Filled Teeth was 0.62 ± 1.42 and it was 1.06 ± 2.93 at 15 years of age. Females had higher level of caries than males at both the ages. Dental caries was higher in children from government schools as compared to those from private schools. The 'decayed' component was the biggest contributor to the DMFT index. The highest treatment need at both ages was one surface restoration. Conclusion: The caries experience of 12- and 15- year-old children was low compared to WHO - 'recommended' values. Effective oral health promotion strategies need to be implemented to further improve the dental health of school children in Shimla city.

Assessment of oral health status and treatment needs of elders associated with elders' homes of Ambala division, Haryana, India.

Objective: To determine the oral health status and treatment needs of subjects aged 60 years and above. Background: The average life span in most parts of the world continues to increase. In the coming decades, dental practitioners will face the challenge of providing dental care for a growing number of elders who retain more natural teeth. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 10 elders' homes of Ambala division on subjects 60 years or older. Modified WHO format (1997) was used. All the subjects present in the elders' home on the day of examination were included. One hundred and fifty-two subjects were examined. Results: Around half (47.4 %) of the subjects had no functional teeth. Among the rest of the subjects, 26.9% subjects did not use any oral hygiene measure. 19.1% subjects reported wearing a denture. 36.8% subjects had not visited a dentist ever in their life. 28.7% subjects were suffering from pain. The mean number of decayed teeth per subject was 3.66. Maximum subjects had a Community Periodontal Index score of 2. Conclusion: Education regarding maintenance of oral hygiene and regular dental check up should be stressed for the elders. Dental care, especially prosthetic care, should be focused upon.

Dental caries and oral hygiene status of school children in Davangere related to their socio-economic levels: an epidemiological study.

Dental caries and periodontal disease, the most commonly seen disease show striking geographic variation, socio-economic patterns and severity of distribution all over the world. Hence, an attempt has been made to determine the relationship of oral health status with socio-economic status in Davangere town. A total of 2007 children of 13 to 14 years age belonging to both sexes were examined. Type III examination was carried out during the survey. DMFcaries Index and Oral Hygiene Index was used to assess caries experience and oral hygiene status. Prasad's classification was used to know the social classification of the children. It was concluded that dental caries experience and oral hygiene status of children are strongly correlated to socio-economic status.