Dental caries experience, tooth surface distribution and associated factors in 6- and 13- year- old school children from Davangere, India

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to investigate the caries experience and patterns in a sample of 6- and 13- year old school children and to estimate the contributing roles of the likely risk indicators. Study design: Data were obtained from 400 (196, 6-year old and 204, 13-year old) school children. A questionnaire was sent to the children parents to measure socioeconomic, socio-demographic, and behavioral variables. Dental caries detection was performed according to the World Health Organization criteria (dmft and DMFT). The mean dmft/DMFT scores were analysed either as a continuous (calculating means and standard deviations) or as a categorical variable (providing proportions). We also created a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Overall caries prevalence was dmft > 0 = 26.75% (6-years old = 50.51%; 13-years old = 3.92%) and DMFT > 0 = 25.25% (6-years old = 12.75%; 13-years old = 37.25%). Multivariate analysis showed that presence of enamel defects, low socio-economic status, mothers’ educational levels were significantly associated with caries prevalence in both the dentition, and caries in the primary teeth (OR = 4.87) were associated with DMFT > 0. Most commonly affected teeth were lower first molar in permanent dentition and lower second molars in primary dentition. In both the dentition occlusal surfaces were most often affected compared to other surfaces. Conclusions: This study has identified clinical, socio-economic, and behavioral determinants for dental caries in primary and permanent dentition on Indian schoolchildren. Key words:Dental caries experience, socio-economic status, enamel defects, tooth surface distribution.