Lucio F Babo Soares1, Penny L Allen2, Jenna Kingi3, Kaye Roberts-Thomson4, Silvana Bettiol5, Leonard Crocombe6. 1. Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. lucio.babosoares@utas.edu.au. 2. Rural Clinical School, University of Tasmania, Burnie, Tasmania, Australia. penny.allen@utas.edu.au. 3. School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. jenna.kingi@utas.edu.au. 4. Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. kaye.robertsthomson@adelaide.edu.au. 5. School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. silvana.bettiol@utas.edu.au. 6. Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. leonard.crocombe@utas.edu.au.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This research compared the oral health status of school children in Dili (the capital of Timor Leste) in 2002 and 2014. METHODS: The 2014 oral health survey of Dili's children replicated the methods of an AusAID-supported oral health survey conducted in 2002. Equal numbers of children were invited to participate from four age groups (6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17 years). For the 2014 survey, the subdistricts of Dom Aleixo, Cristo Rei, Metinaro and Vera Cruz were randomly selected for inclusion. A questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics and oral health behaviours. Oral epidemiological examinations were conducted by four dentists and five dental nurses. RESULTS: The 2014 survey in Dili recruited 758 participants for the questionnaire and 655 children for the oral examination. In 2014, a lower proportion of children reported brushing their teeth the previous day (97% vs 100%, <i>p</i>=0.01) and a larger proportion reported having toothache (40% vs 19%, <i>p</i><0.001) (sometimes to very often) during the previous 12 months. The mean number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in the primary plus permanent dentition (dmft + DMFT) was greater in 2014 than in 2002 (4.2 vs 3.5, <i>p</i>=0.01). There was no difference in the prevalence of decay in the primary dentition (39% vs 37%, <i>p</i>=0.61) or the mean number of decayed, missing or filled (dmft) teeth in the primary dentition in 2014 compared to 2002 (2.0 vs 1.8, <i>p</i>=0.47). However, the prevalence of decay in the permanent dentition was greater in 2014 (70% vs 53%, <i>p</i><0.001) as was the mean DMFT (2.3 vs 1.7, <i>p</i>=0.04). The prevalence of gingival bleeding (65% vs 81%, <i>p</i><0.001) and calculus (57% vs 86%, <i>p</i><0.001) was lower in 2014. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase in dental caries experiences in Dili school children between 2002 and 2014, associated with more permanent teeth dental caries experiences.
INTRODUCTION: This research compared the oral health status of school children in Dili (the capital of Timor Leste) in 2002 and 2014. METHODS: The 2014 oral health survey of Dili's children replicated the methods of an AusAID-supported oral health survey conducted in 2002. Equal numbers of children were invited to participate from four age groups (6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17 years). For the 2014 survey, the subdistricts of Dom Aleixo, Cristo Rei, Metinaro and Vera Cruz were randomly selected for inclusion. A questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics and oral health behaviours. Oral epidemiological examinations were conducted by four dentists and five dental nurses. RESULTS: The 2014 survey in Dili recruited 758 participants for the questionnaire and 655 children for the oral examination. In 2014, a lower proportion of children reported brushing their teeth the previous day (97% vs 100%, <i>p</i>=0.01) and a larger proportion reported having toothache (40% vs 19%, <i>p</i><0.001) (sometimes to very often) during the previous 12 months. The mean number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in the primary plus permanent dentition (dmft + DMFT) was greater in 2014 than in 2002 (4.2 vs 3.5, <i>p</i>=0.01). There was no difference in the prevalence of decay in the primary dentition (39% vs 37%, <i>p</i>=0.61) or the mean number of decayed, missing or filled (dmft) teeth in the primary dentition in 2014 compared to 2002 (2.0 vs 1.8, <i>p</i>=0.47). However, the prevalence of decay in the permanent dentition was greater in 2014 (70% vs 53%, <i>p</i><0.001) as was the mean DMFT (2.3 vs 1.7, <i>p</i>=0.04). The prevalence of gingival bleeding (65% vs 81%, <i>p</i><0.001) and calculus (57% vs 86%, <i>p</i><0.001) was lower in 2014. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase in dental caries experiences in Dili school children between 2002 and 2014, associated with more permanent teeth dental caries experiences.
Entities:
Keywords:
Australia/Pacific; Dentistry; Epidemiology; Oral health; Other