Saúde Bucal e Gestão Odontológica

Abstrato

Caries experience among preschool children from two areas in Romania

Rodica Luca, Aneta Ivan, Ioana Stanciu, Arina Vinereanu

Aim: Previous studies have shown differences between urban and rural areas concerning dental health. Our purpose was to compare caries experience among preschool children from two areas in Romania: an urban area and a rural one. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted upon 235 children aged between 3 and 7 years - 129 from an urban area (mean age 5.43 ± 0.18 years) and 106 from a rural area (mean age 5.90 ± 0.20 years). Examination was performed according to the WHO criteria (1987). Mean values and confidence intervals were calculated for caries prevalence (Ip), dmft/s indices and their components for the entire sample and for the 5-yearold subjects using Microsoft Excel (t=1.96). Statistical significance of differences between the two areas was assessed by using the t-Student test (p=0.05). Results: 1) For the entire sample: a) in the urban area Ip=72.87% ± 4.23%; dmft=4.18 ± 0.72; dmfs=8.20 ± 1.87; in the rural area Ip=92.46% ± 2.90%; dmft= 7.03 ± 0.83; dmfs=14.69 ± 2.30. 2) For the 5-year-olds: a) in the urban area Ip=64.81%; dmft=3.78; dmfs=6.72; b) in the rural area Ip=91.30%; dmft=7.48; dmfs=13.83. Conclusions: 1) There were differences in caries prevalence and caries experience between the two areas. 2) Ip and dmfs indices were significantly higher in the RA. 3) In the rural area Ip in boys is significantly higher than in girls. 4) More than half of the subjects in the rural area need complex dental treatment (ds>10).