title: Prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among children and adults in selected districts in Uganda.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among adults and children in seven districts of Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants aged 11-13 (n=1230) and 35-44 years (n=648) were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of Gulu, Soroti, Jinja, Masaka, Kabale, Kabarole and Hoima districts. They were examined by 4 trained and calibrated dentists for dental caries using Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth index as described by World Health Organisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall mean DMFT score was 0.73 for children and 4.71 for adults. Generally, there was a higher mean DMFT score in the rural (2.19) compared to urban areas (1.97). In all the districts, except Hoima, there was a higher mean DMFT score of children in rural compared to urban. In adults, similar trend was mainly registered in Masaka, Hoima and Gulu districts. Most participants (79.9%, n=1309) occasionally ate sugared snacks. Overall, 95% (n=1795) of the participants cleaned their teeth with plastic tooth brushes (71.7%) and chewing sticks (8.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the severity of dental caries was low, the disease was widespread in the study population. A high proportion of participants reported consumption of sugared snacks and drinks, which calls for oral health education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: Annet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kutesa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: Arabat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasangaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nkamba
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muwazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Okullo
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: Charles Mugisha
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rwenyonyi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose
keywords: Dental caries prevalence; Uganda; severity; sugared snacks; tooth brushing