The prevalence of caries in children with a cleft lip and/or palate in Southern Vietnam.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of caries in South Vietnamese children with a known oral cleft.


METHODS
The children were screened at local dental hospitals in five different cities in southern Vietnam.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-four children aged 4 to 6, 11 to 13, and 14 to 16 years old with a cleft lip, cleft palate, or both were included in the study.


METHODS
For every age group, clefts were divided in four types. The dmft/DMFT was specified according to criteria of the World Health Organization (1997).


RESULTS
The mean number of teeth affected by caries was 9.95 for 4- to 6-year-old children, 2.97 for 11- to 13-year-old children, and 4.93 for 14- to 16-year-old children, respectively. Four- to 6-year-old children with a unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate had significantly more caries and a higher dmft (decayed, missing, and filled teeth index) than children of the same age with only a cleft lip or a cleft lip and alveolus.


CONCLUSIONS
Vietnamese children with an oral cleft have high numbers of teeth affected by dental caries, and special attention will be necessary for their oral health.
Besseling
Sjobbe
S
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. s_besseling@hotmail.com
Dubois
Leander
L
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications*; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology