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. 2015 Dec;15(4):1302-7.
doi: 10.4314/ahs.v15i4.33.

Prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among children and adults in selected districts in Uganda

Annet Kutesa  1 , Arabat Kasangaki  1 , Moses Nkamba  1 , Louis Muwazi  1 , Isaac Okullo  1 , Charles Mugisha Rwenyonyi  1
Affiliations

Prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among children and adults in selected districts in Uganda

Annet Kutesa et al. Afr Health Sci. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among adults and children in seven districts of Uganda.

Methods: Participants aged 11-13 (n=1230) and 35-44 years (n=648) were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of Gulu, Soroti, Jinja, Masaka, Kabale, Kabarole and Hoima districts. They were examined by 4 trained and calibrated dentists for dental caries using Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth index as described by World Health Organisation.

Results: Overall mean DMFT score was 0.73 for children and 4.71 for adults. Generally, there was a higher mean DMFT score in the rural (2.19) compared to urban areas (1.97). In all the districts, except Hoima, there was a higher mean DMFT score of children in rural compared to urban. In adults, similar trend was mainly registered in Masaka, Hoima and Gulu districts. Most participants (79.9%, n=1309) occasionally ate sugared snacks. Overall, 95% (n=1795) of the participants cleaned their teeth with plastic tooth brushes (71.7%) and chewing sticks (8.3%).

Conclusion: Although the severity of dental caries was low, the disease was widespread in the study population. A high proportion of participants reported consumption of sugared snacks and drinks, which calls for oral health education.

Keywords: Dental caries prevalence; Uganda; severity; sugared snacks; tooth brushing.

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