The oral health and treatment needs of schoolchildren in Trinidad and Tobago: findings of a national survey.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the oral health and treatment need of schoolchildren in Trinidad and Tobago.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey using stratified cluster sampling. Participants were children in primary (aged 6-8 years) and secondary school (aged 12 and 15 years). Main outcome measures were DMFT/dmft, treatment need, and fluorosis.


RESULTS
Examinations were completed on 1064 children. The dmft of the 6-8-year-olds was 2.54 (95% CI = 2.32, 2.76). For 12-year-olds, the DMFT was 0.61 (95% CI = 0.51, 0.71), whereas for 15-year-olds, the DMFT was 1.06 (95% CI = 0.87, 1.25). Most of the caries experience in 6-8-year-olds was from decayed teeth. Sixty-seven per cent of the sample (95% CI = 64%, 69%) had some type of treatment need. Most frequently occurring need was for fillings at 42% (95% CI = 40%, 44%) with 28% (95% CI = 26%, 31%) of the total sample needing two or more surface fillings, followed by fissure sealants at 33% (95% CI = 30%, 36%) and caries-arresting care at 12% (95% CI = 10%, 14%). Extraction of one or more teeth was needed in 13% (95% CI = 11%, 15%) of children. Rates of fluorosis were negligible.


CONCLUSIONS
The caries experience of 12- and 15-year-old children were low but was high for schoolchildren aged 6-8 years, in terms of prevalence and severity. Effective oral health promotion strategies need to be implemented to improve the oral health of primary schoolchildren in Trinidad and Tobago.
Naidu
R
R
School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. rahul@trinidad.net
Prevatt
I
I
Simeon
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009050:Fluorosis, Dental / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009909:Oral Health; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D005459:Fluorides