Oral health status of school children in Mbarara, Uganda

  • B Batwala
  • E M Mulogo
  • W Arubaku
Keywords: Calculus, Caries, DMFT, dt, Fluorosis, Gingivitis, Malocclusion, Plaque, Uganda.

Abstract



Background: Despite the need for oral health morbidity surveys to aid in reviewing of the oral health services, dental data of Ugandan children is scanty. Objectives: to describe the magnitude and distribution of selected oral health conditions among primary school children in Mbarara, Uganda. Methods: A stratified two-stage cluster sample of 437 children aged 5-6, 8-9 and 11-12 was enrolled. The selected conditions included: dental caries, plaque, calculus, gingivitis, fluorosis and malocclusion (maxillary overjet). These conditions were diagnosed and scored in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria. Results: The mean decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth (DMFT) was 1.5(±0.8 SD). Females had higher DMFT (1.6±0.8SD) than males (1.3±0.8SD). Decayed, filled milk teeth (dt) was 2.7(±1.8SD) but more in males 3.1(±2.1SD) than in females 2.4(±1.6SD). Children in private schools were likely to have more caries in both permanent teeth (DMFT: 1.6±0.9SD) and milk teeth (dt: 3.0±1.9SD). Day-scholars were likely to have more caries in permanent teeth (DFMT: 1.50.8SD). Those in boarding were likely to have more caries in milk teeth (dt: 3±2.2SD). Milk teeth caries decreased with age (p<0.0001). Eight (1.8%) had very mild to moderate fluorosis. Nine (2%) lost permanent canines due to practice of \"nylon teeth mutilation.\" Majority 325(75%) had dental plaque, which increased with age (p<0.0001). Males significantly had plaque. Children in private schools were associated with less plaque (OR: 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4-0.9), as were those in boarding schools. Some 113(25.9%) had calculus that increased with age (p<0.0001). Calculus was more prevalent in males, government schools, and among day-scholars. Females were less likely to have maxillary overjet (OR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8). Day-scholars were 2 times more likely to have maxillary overjet (OR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1-3.5). None had severe gingivitis. Conclusion: The oral hygiene of school children was poor with high plaque prevalence demonstrating a lack of established oral hygiene practices. A comprehensive community-focused oral health care intervention that includes oral health education in homes and the strengthening of school health programme is needed to improve the oral health status of children in Mbarara.

African Health Sciences Vol. 7 (4) 2007: pp. 232-238
Published
2008-04-04
Issue
Vol. 7 No. 4 (2007)
Section
Articles
A.    AFRICAN HEALTH SCIENCES OPEN ACCESS POLICY

While African Health Sciences has been freely accessible online there have been questions on whether it is Open Access or not. We wish to clearly state that indeed African Health Sciences is Open Access. There are key issues regarding Open Access needing clarification for avoidance of doubt:

  1. 1.      Henceforth, papers in African Health Sciences will be published under the CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution License) 4.0 International. See details on https://creativecomons.org/)
  2. 2.      The copyright owners or the authors grant the 3rd party (perpetually and in advance) the right to disseminate, reproduce, or use the research papers in part or in full, format/medium as long as:
  • No substantive errors are introduced in the process
  • Attribution of authorship and correct citation details are given
  • The referencing details are not changed.

Should the papers be reproduced in part, this must be clearly stated.

  1. 3.      The papers will be freely and universally accessible online in an easily readable format such as XML in at least one widely recognized open access repository such as PUBMED CENTRAL.

B. ABRIDGED LICENCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUTHORS AND African Health Sciences

I submitted my manuscript to African Health Sciences and would like to affirm that:

1.0  I am authorized by my co-authors to enter into these arrangements.

2.0 I guarantee, on behalf of self and co-authors:

  • That the paper is original, and has not been published in any other peer-reviewed journal; nor is it under consideration by other journal (s). It does not infringe existing copyright or any other person’s rights

 

  • That we are/I am the sole author(s) of the paper and with authority to enter into this agreement. My granting rights to African Health Sciences is not in breach of any other obligation

 

  • That the paper contains nothing unlawful, or libelous. Nor anything that would constitute a breach of contract, confidence or commitment given to secrecy, if published

 

  • That I/we have taken care to ensure the integrity of the article.

3.0  I and all co-authors, agree that the paper, if accepted for publication, shall be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. (see https://creativecommons.org/)

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1680-6905