Risk factors for caries - control and prevention

ABSTRACT Objectives. To investigate a prevalence of caries, filled permanent and extracted permanent teeth, as well as caries risk factors in school children aged 7, 9 and 11. Methods. The survey included 800 children (296 children aged 7; 254 children aged 9 and 250 children aged 11) from the Mostar Municipality, 400 of them living in both rural and urban areas. A dental mirror and standard light of dental chair were used for examination. The DMF index (Dental Caries, Missing Teeth and Filled Teeth) was determined, as well as failure in keeping teeth hygiene, sugar intake with food, and incidence of oral cavity infection. Results. The dental state of permanent teeth in children aged 7 and 9 has shown significant difference between the children from rural and urban areas (p < 0,001). Out of 2,698 and 2,790 permanent teeth in children aged 11 from rural and urban areas, 1,086 (40,25 %) and 884 (31.68 %) had caries, respectively (p < 0.01). The difference between these groups of children has been found in relation to the index of oral hygiene too (p < 0.05). Conclusion. An identification of risk groups for getting caries was very important and could help health and social structures to maintain their programs in order to improve oral health.