Oral health in 6-year-old schoolchildren from Berisso, Argentina: falling far short of WHO goals

Abstract

Objectives: Dental diseases in children have been reduced in recent decades in developed countries, although trends remain unclear in other countries. Oral healthcare in Argentina is based on demand and depends on a patient's health insurance coverage. The objective of this study was to determine the oral health situation of the population of six-year-olds in Berisso, Buenos Aires province (Argentina). Study design: A cross-sectional observational study was performed on schoolchildren from public and private schools. The following factors were evaluated: DMFT, DMFS, dft, dfs, significant caries (SiC), filled, decayed and missing teeth, and the prevalence of caries in both primary and permanent teeth. Data was recorded concerning malocclusion, ankylosis, dental fluorosis, DDE index modified, urgent healthcare needs, healthcare system use, orthodontic treatments, filling materials, school type and socioeconomic position. Results: The study was carried out on 804 schoolchildren. The overall prevalence of caries was 70% (temporary dentition 67.9%, permanent dentition 16.3%). The dft index was 4.52 for males and 4.77 for females. For males, dfs index scored 8.78 and for females, it scored 9.27. DMFT index was 0.45 for males and 0.51 for females. DMFS index scored 0.68 for males and 0.80 for females. There were differences between socioeconomic groups (employees and manual workers) in DMFT and DMFS indexes. Of the study population, 54% had never been seen by a dentist prior to the study. For children who had visited a dentist, 71% attended state public services. Conclusions: Oral indices in Berisso were worse than in other Argentinean studies and were far from the World Health Organization global goals. There is an urgent need to strengthen the effectiveness of preventive care.

The pattern of malocclusion in a sample of orthodontic patients from Turkey

“…One explanation for the high rates of crossbite in the present study might be that our study evaluated the subjects accepted for orthodontic treatment but Gelgor et al (10) investigated the referred population. On the other hand, the prevalence of the crossbite in a six-year-old schoolchildren population from Argentina was found to be 0.3% (20). The difference might be due to the material difference.…”

Prevalence and factors related to dental caries among pre-school children of Saddar town, Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

“…The identification of high-risk groups provides motivation to enhance community awareness and its involvement in preventive efforts; as well as re-orient oral health services towards oral health promotion and prevention [16]. …”

Parental perception of psychophysical health, nutritional status and oral health in relation to sociodemographic characteristics in children in Bariloche, Argentina: an epidemiological study

“…Several studies have found a relationship between maternal education and oral health. 11,12,29 A m o n g c h i l d r e n w h o s e m o t h e r s h a d completed at most primary school, 77% had cavities or missing teeth, compared to 40% among those whose mothers had finished secondary school, and 13% among those whose mothers had completed tertiary school or university. These results evidence an urgent need to implement health equality consists of minimizing avoidable disparities together with their determinants among people with different levels of privilege or advantages.…”

“…[6][7][8][9][10] In different regions of Argentina, it was determined that children whose families had a lower income had a high level of oral diseases. 11,12 Child mortality rates vary depending on the population's socioeconomic status; being higher among groups with a high prevalence of unmet basic needs. 13,14 Epidemiological studies on child health indicators associated with living conditions allow to establish Original article the extent and distribution of inequalities.…”