Prevalence of dental ailments in 6-12 years old schoolchildren of Peshawar district

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to report the prevalence of dental ailments among Peshawar Schoolchildren. Subjects aged 6-12 [n=967] were randomly selected from school children in Peshawar district. They were clinically examined by 4 trained and calibrated House Surgeons dental ailments using criteria described by World Health Organization. Dental caries was recorded in 45.6% of the children. The overall mean DMFT score was 1.13 + 0.247. Caries was significantly more severe in females as compared to males [p<0.05]. Gum bleeding was also significantly more prevalent but there is no significant difference as far as gender was concerned. Class II malocclusion and anterior crowding were more prevalent in females compared to male children. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 0.3%. The prevalence of dental diseases was generally low among the study population. Caries experience was significantly low in District Peshawar compared to Pakistan national Mean DMFT = 1.39, the Decay - component being the major contributor to this recorded DMFT