Dental caries and fluorosis among children in Lebanon

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess caries and enamel fluorosis in a sample of 1433 children aged 6–8, 12, and 15 years from 48 schools in 6 regions of Lebanon, selected by probability proportional to size. Methods: Children were examined according to the World Health Organization criter...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mounir Doumit, Bassel Doughan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Dental Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijdr.in/article.asp?issn=0970-9290;year=2018;volume=29;issue=3;spage=317;epage=322;aulast=Doumit
Description
Summary:Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess caries and enamel fluorosis in a sample of 1433 children aged 6–8, 12, and 15 years from 48 schools in 6 regions of Lebanon, selected by probability proportional to size. Methods: Children were examined according to the World Health Organization criteria. Results: Our results showed a mean of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) of 0.6 (dft of 5.15), 3.42, and 5.44 corresponding respectively to the groups of 6–8-, 12-, and 15-year-old children. In the same groups, the percentage of DMFT = 0 for the 6–8-year-old category was 74%, the 12-year-old category was 20.9%, and for the 15-year-old category was 9.7%; Ten (2.1%) 12 year olds had moderate and one (0.2%) severe scores; these children had been born in other countries. Conclusions: Survey results confirm the need to implement nationwide dental caries prevention measures. Since water fluoridation is not feasible, salt fluoridation would be the alternative.
ISSN:0970-9290
1998-3603