Dental caries and dental fluorosis among 4-, 6-, 12- and 15-year-old children in kindergartens and public schools in Kuwait

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was 1) to describe the occurrence of dental caries and fluorosis among children in kindergartens and public schools in Kuwait, and determine their need for dental health care, 2) to describe changes in caries prevalence and experience from 1982 to 1993 and 3) to provide a baseline for the evaluation of the preventive oral health programmes starting in Kuwait in 1994. The study population comprised 3,500 4-, 6-, 12- and 15-year-old children in kindergartens and public schools in Kuwait, selected by stratified cluster sampling. Dental caries was scored by surface in accordance with WHO criteria, and dental fluorosis was registered by Dean's index (modified). The mean deft was 4.6 at age 4 years, and 6.2 at age 6; 8 and 11 percent of the decay had been treated by extractions or fillings in the two respective age groups. Among the 6-, 12- and 15-year-old children DMFT was 0.2, 2.6 and 3.6 respectively; 12 and 14 percent of the decayed teeth of 12- and 15-year-old children had been treated. As to the 4- and 6-year-old children, 19 and 9 percent were caries-free in the deciduous teeth, while 86, 21 and 14 percent of the 6-, 12- and 15-year-old children were caries-free in the permanent teeth. Among the 4-year-old children 47 percent had caries in the front teeth. None of the children had severe dental fluorosis, but 6 percent at 12 and 15 years showed mild to moderate, but manifest, dental fluorosis. The survey revealed that caries experience as well as caries prevalence had increased since 1982, although there was a marked increase in the number of filled tooth surfaces in all age cohorts. However, in 1993 the DMFT of 12-year-old children was still well within WHO's global goal for the year 2000, whereas the prevalence of dental caries among 6-year-old was considerably higher than the WHO goal.