BACKGROUND: Dental caries is a public health problem globally, especially in children. Thus, it is important to quantify its clinical consequences in terms of its prevalence and severity. AIM: This study aims to assess the prevalence and severity of oral conditions linked with untreated dental caries using pulp involvement, ulceration, fistula, abscess (pufa/PUFA) index in 5-, 12-, and 15-year-old school children in Ambala district. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 433 school children of 5-, 12-, and 15-year-old age group in Ambala district. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, participants were recruited from randomly selected schools and were examined according to pufa/PUFA index and Oral Health Surveys Dentition Status. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using SPSS Software Version 20.0 (Chicago, USA). The statistical significance was determined by Chi-square test, and level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Correlation analysis was expressed in terms of Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS: Caries prevalence was reported to be 58.4% while the prevalence of odontogenic infections was 45.3%. Untreated caries pufa/PUFA ratio among 5, 12, and 15 years old was 44.58%, 38.33%, and 36.18%, respectively. The care index among 5, 12, and 15 years old was 0, 3.31%, and 36.18% emphasizing the lack of utilization of dental services by school children. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PUFA/pufa index as an adjunct to the classical caries indices can address the neglected problem of untreated caries and its consequences.
BACKGROUND: Dental caries is a public health problem globally, especially in children. Thus, it is important to quantify its clinical consequences in terms of its prevalence and severity. AIM: This study aims to assess the prevalence and severity of oral conditions linked with untreated dental caries using pulp involvement, ulceration, fistula, abscess (pufa/PUFA) index in 5-, 12-, and 15-year-old school children in Ambala district. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 433 school children of 5-, 12-, and 15-year-old age group in Ambala district. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, participants were recruited from randomly selected schools and were examined according to pufa/PUFA index and Oral Health Surveys Dentition Status. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using SPSS Software Version 20.0 (Chicago, USA). The statistical significance was determined by Chi-square test, and level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Correlation analysis was expressed in terms of Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS: Caries prevalence was reported to be 58.4% while the prevalence of odontogenic infections was 45.3%. Untreated caries pufa/PUFA ratio among 5, 12, and 15 years old was 44.58%, 38.33%, and 36.18%, respectively. The care index among 5, 12, and 15 years old was 0, 3.31%, and 36.18% emphasizing the lack of utilization of dental services by school children. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PUFA/pufa index as an adjunct to the classical caries indices can address the neglected problem of untreated caries and its consequences.
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Keywords:
Care index; dentition status; pufa/PUFA; untreated caries pufa/PUFA ratio