title: Caries experience in a selected group of children in Kuwait.
abstract: A study to set base-line data for future interventions to develop young children's oral health care was carried out in November 1993 in Kuwait. The study population comprised a random sample of 450 3- to 7-year-old children drawn from the students in Kindergarten and Primary Departments of Kuwait English School in the Salwa District of Kuwait. The mean dmft and mean d values were highest at the age of 6 (4.1, SD = 3.6, and 2.1, SD = 2.4, respectively) and lowest at the age of 4 (1.4, SD = 2.5, and 1.0, SD = 2.0, respectively). The proportion of caries-free children (dmft = 0) was 39%. Molars and maxillary incisors were most prevalently affected by caries. There seems to be a distinct need for both organized dental health care and preventive programs for the very young children in Kuwait.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murtomaa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al Za'abi
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metsäniitty
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D008963:Molar; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous