Prevalence and patterns of caries, rampant caries, and oral health in two- to five-year-old children in Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity, and pattern of dental caries, as well as the prevalence of rampant caries in preschool children in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and to relate this to socioeconomic factors, diet, and oral hygiene practices.


METHODS
A random sample of 987 children was drawn from 17 nursery schools.


RESULTS
Caries were diagnosed in 720 (73%) of the children: 256 (26%) of the children had caries confined to posterior teeth, 54 (6%) had caries only in anterior teeth, and in 382 (39%) both tooth types were affected. Forty-eight children (5%) had caries only in incisors. Rampant caries was diagnosed in 336 (34%). Mean dmft for the 987 children was 4.80 (+/- 4.87) per child and mean dmfs 12.67 (+/- 15.46). Caries and rampant caries were related to social class.


CONCLUSIONS
There was little evidence of differing patterns of caries having clearly defined etiology.
Department of Transcultural Oral Health, Eastman Dental Institute, University College London, University of London, United Kingdom.
Manal I
MI
Al-Malik
Ruth D
RD
Holt
Raman
R
Bedi
D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012923:Social Class; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data