Prevalence of Dental Caries Experience among 8 to 11-Year-Old Students in Primary Schools of Mashhad

Evaluation of oral health status plays an important role in planning for community health. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of caries experience in Mashhad primary school students aged 8 to 11 years in 2007-8. Students aged 8 to 11 years were selected from public elementary schools in Mashhad (3rd, 4th, and 5th zones). Study variables were child’s age, frequency of daily teeth brushing, father’s educational level and family income. For evaluation of dental caries experience; decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index was used. Prevalence of caries experience was expressed as the percentage of children who had caries experience in their either primary or permanent teeth (dmft > 0 or DMFT > 0). In total, 552 students with mean age of 9.6 years were included. The prevalence of caries experience in permanent teeth of children was 60% and in primary teeth was 85%. The prevalence of caries experience in both primary and permanent teeth was 95.9%. Mean DMFT in girls was 1.3 ± 1.3 and in boys was 1.25 ± 1.22; which were not significantly different from each other (P = 0.59). Mean dmft in girls was 3.28 ± 2.56 and in boys was 3.43 ± 2.43; which were also not significantly different from each other (P = 0.42). Analysis of mean DMFT and dmft within the responses of the subjects to the question of frequency of daily tooth brushing showed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.03, 0.05, respectively), which means that children who responded that they brush their teeth 3 times per day, had the lowest mean of DMFT and dmft. The results of the current study illustrate increased level of DMFT compared to country survey in 1996 (38%) and a survey in Khorasan province among 9-year-old children in 2002 (56%). This challenge displays the necessity of early detection of caries in primary schools of Mashhad and the implementation of programs to promote oral and dental health in schools.