Dental Caries Experience and Oral Health Practice among 12-Years-Old Schoolchildren

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the experience of dental caries and practice of oral health preventive measures. Methods: This was a secondary data study extracted from primary data through a cross-sectional study of a random sample of two hundred and forty-six 12 years-old Libyan schoolchildren (in 2019). Children underwent clinical examinations for dental caries experience. Then, they asked to complete a self-administrated questionnaire that designed to evaluate the oral health practices. The collected data were analysed using SPSS for Windows, version 25. The alpha value was 0.05. Results: The prevalence of dental caries, for the total sample, was 80.5% and the mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index (DMFT) was 2.4 (SD, 1.7). A clear gradient in the DMFT means with statistically significant was observed only across the categories of frequency of toothbrushing and frequency of sugary foods and drinks consumption in between meals. In addition, statistical significant was found for using fluoridated toothpaste. Conclusion: Dental caries in children aged 12 years old was prevalent in this study. The present survey provided an overview of practice of oral health preventive measures of participants, as the differences in these practices have influenced the DMFT values and provided knowledge about the disease experience.