Prevalence of preschool caries among 6-year-old school children from different socioeconomic backgrounds in Amman, Jordan

The objectives of the present study were to describe the dental health status among 6-year-old schoolchildren in Amman, Jordan, and to investigate the association between selected sociodemographic, oral health behaviour and attitude variables and the presence of dental caries. A cross-sectional sample of 838 [Male = 436, Female - 402] children were examined in primary schools; the prevalence and severity of dental caries were measured using World Health Organization criteria. A two-stage cluster sampling technique was used. Sociodemographic factors and oral health behaviours and attitudes were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of dental caries in the primary dentition was 41.6%. The mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth [dmft] was 2.59 [SD=2.67]. The decayed component [d] constituted 67% of the total number of decayed, missing [19%] and filled teeth [14%]. The chi-square association test demonstrated that the variables: mother education and employment, type of dental care, type of school, tooth brushing, presence of dental plaque and family size were statistically significant in relation to the presence or absence of dental caries [P<0.05]. However, there was no significant difference between caries prevalence of children who attended private and public schools and those who had never been to a dentist. The caries experience was lower in females [dmft=2.51] than in males [dmft=2.68], but the difference was not statistically significant [P>0.05]. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the number of children who had dental plaque on their teeth and others who did not [P>0.05]. The present study showed that dental caries level was higher than that of children in industrialized countries and lower than that in children of the Middle Eastern Arab countries. However, the early caries development seen in children from the lower socio-econo mic classes reinforces the need for preventive programs. Dental caries can be largely prevented or controlled in its early stages of development by simple and relatively cheap methods of personal care, involving attention to general nutrition, diet and oral hygiene. Dental care information and oral hygiene instructions should be given as early as possible to the expectant mothers at prenatal counselling. Access to dental care must be improved to enable any preventive care to be implemented

Caries experience among 6 and 12 years-old school children in Jordan

The aim of this investigation was to assess and provide base-line-data regarding the prevalence of dental caries among 12 year-old children in Jordan. From an initial sample of 257 boys' and girls' schools, 1879 6 years-old and 1878 children aged 12 were examined, 2435 from urban and 1322 from rural areas. Caries experience among 6 years-old was 2.73 DMFT and 6.09 DMFS, 29.4% of the children were caries-free. For 12 year-old children, the mean DMFT was 0.68 and DMFS was 1.34, 65.6% of the children were caries-free. Urban children in both age groups had a significantly higher caries prevalence than rural children

Papillon lefevre syndrome: review and report of three cases in one family

Papillon LefŠvre syndrome is a rare disease believed to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. This report describes 3 cases of Papillon LefŠvre syndrome affecting one Jordanian family. One girl [4.5 years] her two albino brothers [12 and 21 years] and their parents, who are first cousins were examined. The parents were not affected, but their 3 children exhibited the typical clinical features of Papillon LefŠvre syndrome: palmar and plantar hyperkeratosis with severe destruction of the periodontal structure resulting in early loss of both primary and permanent dentition. Traditional treatment involving professional oral hygiene care [scaling, root planning, curettage] and prolonged systemic antibiotic therapy has proved to be ineffective