Dental fluorosis, dental caries, and treatment needs in Al-Muthana'a governorate among 12 years old students

Abstract

Background: A case-control study design revealeda relationship between the present of fluoride, and the reductionof dental caries and the increase prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis .The aim of this study was to assess theprevalence and severity of dental caries in relation to dental fluorosis among school children in Al-Muthana'aGovernorate.Materials and methods: It was conducted among primary school students aged 12 years old, the age was takenaccording to the criteria of World Health Organization (1997) (1).The number of students was selected in each sectorof control group according to number of schools in that sector .Sectors of control group which depend on water ofriver as source of drinking water. Case group which include AL-Salman sector that depend on underground water assource of drinking water includestudents in all area of Al- Salman sector in 4 schoolsResults: Results showed that the prevalence of dental fluorosis in case group, is (60.6%) and the mean of maximalfluorosis index (1.15 ±0.12) .In control group, the prevalence of dental fluorosis is (49.0%) and the mean of maximalfluorosis index (0.73±0.4) .The DMFS/DMFT values of dental caries for case sample (3.83± 0.44) (2.31± 0.22), while forcontrol DMFS/DMFT is (5.95±0.26) (3.41±0.13) respectively with significantly difference. The prevalence of caries free incase sample is 23.6% while for control is 8.4% with significantly difference between case and control.Conclusions:A study revealed that a high prevalence of dental fluorosis, dental caries thus there is a need forpreventive programs among those children