Oral health care and dental caries experience among 9-14 year old children in Mangalore

Objective: To determine the oral health care and dental caries experience among 9-14 year old school going children in Mangalore Materials and method: The study was conducted among 532 school going children aged 9-14 years. A questionnaire regarding snacking and other oral habits of the children as well as oral health knowledge of parents, to be filled in by the parents, was given after the clinical oral examination of the children. Results: The mean number of permanent “decayed teeth (DT)” was 0.53 ± 1.08 and “filled teeth (FT) was 0.27 ± 0.78 whereas the mean number of deciduous “decayed teeth (dt)” was 0.71 ± 1.31 and “filled teeth (ft)” was 0.14 ± 0.54. The mean “DMFT” was 0.79 ± 1.27 and mean “dft” was 0.87 ± 1.47. Knowledge of parents regarding role of fluoride in toothpaste and the dental caries experience of their children was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Most of the parents had good knowledge regarding oral health as well as the oral health practice of their children. Although the relationship between the parents knowledge and their children's oral health was not statistically significant, dental caries experience was low.