Ishmael Bruce1, Maxwell E Addo, Tom Ndanu. 1. Department of Community & Preventive Dentistry, University of Ghana Dental School, Accra. dental@ghana.com
Abstract
AIM: To update and add to the sparse information available on the dental disease experience of Ghanaian children. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey where all 4-16-year-old schoolchildren in a peri-urban community of Accra, Ghana, were examined. Three primary schools had been selected by the school authorities for the study. RESULTS: Plaque scores ranged from 78.9% in the 4-5-year-olds to a high of 97% in the 6-year-olds with the older age groups occupying intermediate levels. The proportion with calculus ranged from a low of 40% in the 4-5-year-olds to a high of 67% in the 13-16-year-olds. Gingival disease increased with age from slight to low in the lower age groups and increasing significantly from 12 years to 16 years. Caries experience was low to very low from a high of a DMFT score of 1.11 (SE 0.07 ) in the 7-9-year-olds to a low of 0.30 (SE 0.06 ) in the 13-16-year-olds. CONCLUSION: Sustained community preventive dental activity needs to be instituted in both rural and urban regions to prevent and control both caries and periodontal diseases and to prevent future increases in the caries rates as has been experienced in some developing countries.
AIM: To update and add to the sparse information available on the dental disease experience of Ghanaian children. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey where all 4-16-year-old schoolchildren in a peri-urban community of Accra, Ghana, were examined. Three primary schools had been selected by the school authorities for the study. RESULTS: Plaque scores ranged from 78.9% in the 4-5-year-olds to a high of 97% in the 6-year-olds with the older age groups occupying intermediate levels. The proportion with calculus ranged from a low of 40% in the 4-5-year-olds to a high of 67% in the 13-16-year-olds. Gingival disease increased with age from slight to low in the lower age groups and increasing significantly from 12 years to 16 years. Caries experience was low to very low from a high of a DMFT score of 1.11 (SE 0.07 ) in the 7-9-year-olds to a low of 0.30 (SE 0.06 ) in the 13-16-year-olds. CONCLUSION: Sustained community preventive dental activity needs to be instituted in both rural and urban regions to prevent and control both caries and periodontal diseases and to prevent future increases in the caries rates as has been experienced in some developing countries.
Authors: Anna Peters; Karolin Brandt; Andreas Wienke; Hans-Günter Schaller Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-09 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Sandra Ama Hewlett; Paa-Kwesi Blankson; Justice Moses K Aheto; Francis Anto; Tony Danso-Appiah; Josephine Sackeyfio; Kwadwo Koram; Albert G B Amoah Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2022-03-12 Impact factor: 2.757