[Oral health of school children in Ceuta. Influences of age, sex, ethnic background and socioeconomic level].
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study is that of gauging the prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease and malocclusion among the school-age population of Ceuta and the spread thereof by age, sex, ethnic background and father's occupation.


METHODS
Prevalence survey of a multistage, stratified, random sample of schoolchildren 7, 12 and 14 years of age (n = 347) in order to calculate DMFT and dmft indexes--permanent and deciduous dentition--, CPITN and malocclusion. Assessment of the statistical significance of the differences encountered according to age, sex, ethnic background and socioeconomic status using the Chi-Square, Student T and Snedecor F tests. To calculate, among schoolchildren ages 12 and 14, the odds ratios of showing a DMFT index over 4 and their 95% confidence intervals by gender, ethnic background and the socioeconomic status.


RESULTS
Dmft (decayed, filled and missing teeth) was 3.02 at 7 and DMFT was 3.91 at 12 and 4.46 at 14. Odds ratios of DMFT > 4 were 2.26 by gender (95% CI = 1.27-4.05), 2.17 by ethnic group (95% CI = 1.18-3.99) and 1.8 by SES (95% CI = 0.85-3.81). In schoolchildren of low SES--unemployed father's--OR by ethnic group was 1.37 (95% CI = 0.28-7.0). No statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of malocclusion and periodontal disease--except by age.


CONCLUSIONS
Dmft and DMFT values are in Ceuta higher than the mean national values and the proposed value of the WHO for the year 2000. Risk of DMFT higher than the median is 2.3 in girls compared with boys, 2.17 in Moslem compared with non Moslem and 1.8 in low SES schoolchildren--unemployed father's--compared to other SES schoolchildren. The increased risk related to ethnic background is influenced by SES.
Nieto García
V M
VM
Instituto Nacional de la Salud, Ceuta.
Nieto García
M A
MA
Lacalle Remigio
J R
JR
Abdel-Kader Martín
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain