Caries experience in urban Saudi schoolgirls

ABSTRACT

To study the point prevalence and care-index of dental caries among Saudi public schoolgirls aged 12-14 years. Design and setting: A cross-sectional study of 281 Saudi schoolgirls randomly selected from the primary public schools in Dammam city. Intervention Dental examination according to standard methods recommended by the World Health Organization. The point prevalence of dental caries in the studied sample was 79.7% and the decayed, missing and filled teeth index [DMFT] was found to be 2.78 [SD 2.23]. The first molars were more frequently affected [38.9%] compared to the other types of teeth. No significant variation in DMFT scores was observed by age. Of the total carious teeth, there were more decayed teeth [95%] than missing [26%] and filled teeth [17%]. The "care-index" in the study population was very low [7.4%] indicating limited restorative dental care. Visits to a dentist for professional prophylaxis were reported by only 4.6% girls. Lack of dental health awareness and a high prevalence of dental caries among schoolgirls [12-14 years of age] calls for primary health centers and school health services to play an active role in prevention and timely treatment