title: Epidemiology of dental caries among adolescents in Tamil Nadu, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Economic and dietary changes in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu have led to compromised oral health status of the adolescent population. Adequate epidemiological data are not available to address the prevention or treatment needs in this region of India. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and severity of dental caries among adolescents of Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample included 974 adolescent school students (12-15 years of age) from both rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu, India. The decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index of these students was measured using the World Health Organization oral health survey method, in a quantitative cross-sectional study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The oral health survey indicated that the prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu was 61.4%, with an average DMFT score of 2.03. Multiple regression analyses indicated factors such as gender, mother's education, type of school and caste as significant predictors of dental caries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female gender, Scheduled Caste and Tribes attending public schools in rural areas were identified as the more vulnerable populations to be affected by dental caries. Oral health policies should be targeted to these adolescent populations in the Tamil Nadu region.
authors.affiliation: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Arthi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veerasamy
authors.affiliation: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gage
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Chennai; Prevalence of dental caries; Thanjavur; oral health survey; severity of dental caries
references.citation: J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2005 Mar;23(1):17-22
references.pmid: 15858301
references.citation: Indian J Dent Res. 2008 Jul-Sep;19(3):186-90
references.pmid: 18797092
references.citation: Indian J Public Health. 2005 Jan-Mar;49(1):18-21
references.pmid: 15989155
references.citation: N S W Public Health Bull. 2009 Mar-Apr;20(3-4):40-5
references.pmid: 19401067
references.citation: Science. 1982 Jul 2;217(4554):26-30
references.pmid: 7089534
references.citation: Am J Dent. 2009 Feb;22(1):3-8
references.pmid: 19281105
references.citation: Aust Dent J. 2011 Jun;56(2):227-30
references.pmid: 21770083
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 1992 Jul;112(1):155-9
references.pmid: 19565683