The relationship of caries with oral hygiene status and extra-oral risk factors.
BACKGROUND
Dental caries is a lifetime disease, with highest priority risk group between 11-14 years of age group. Environmental factors such as culture, socioeconomic status, life style and dietary pattern can have a greater impact on caries-resistance or development. The present study was performed to evaluate the relationship between dental caries, oral hygiene status and risk factors among students.


METHODS
Oral examination was performed in 242 adolescent between 11 and 14 years to check decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index and simplified oral hygiene (OHI-S) score. A questionnaire was distributed to gather data concerning external modifying risk factors such as socioeconomic status, oral hygiene practices and snacking habits.


RESULTS
Average DMFT was found, 3.27 and OHI-S score was fair in majority of students. DMFT in 67.77% of students fell between 0 and 3. The prevalence of caries is significantly higher in female students as compared to their male counterparts. The major component of the DMFT was the untreated decay (D) in both genders. Half of the students claimed to be familiar with the benefits of fluoride and use toothbrush before bedtime. 16.1% of the subjects were aware of a bad-breath problem.


CONCLUSIONS
Caries experience was significantly inversely related to socio-economic status whereas strongly correlated with frequency of sugar intake and frequency of snacking in between meals. No relationship was found between OHI-S and DMFT.
ur Rehman
Mohammed Mustahsen
MM
Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science & Technology Net work UAE. drmustahsen@hotmail.com
Mahmood
Noha
N
ur Rehman
Betul
B
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires