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JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, Hue University, N0 61, 2010
DENTAL CARIES SITUATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN
HUONGTRA DISTRICT, THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE
Nguyen Huu Hai, Nguyen Van Tap
College of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University
SUMMARY
Dental caries are a common disease in Viet Nam and all over the world. It affects
aesthetics as well as the function of mastication. If the caries are not treated properly, it can
cause dangerous complications. Today, dental caries prevention is effectely implentmented in
many developed countries. Meanwhile, the dental caries prevalence in developing countries is
very high because of the inadequacy of prevention measures. In Viet Nam, the national oral
health survey in 2002 shows that the dental caries prevalence in different ages are: 83.7% in 6;
56.6% in 12; 67% in 15; 75 – 89.7% in adults. The study aims at identify the dental caries
prevalence of secondary school students in Huong Tra district in 2009 and study some factors
relating to dental caries. The Cross – sectional descriptive study in the secondary school
students in Huong Tra district, 2009 was conducted. A stratified cluster sample was used in this
study. There were 663 students participating in this study, who were divided into 2 groups: one
living in the town, the other living in communes. The study showed that the dental caries
prevalence was 84.6 % in secondary school students, the mean of DMF and DMFS were 3,00
and 5,06; the oral hygiene situation and living places were factors relating to dental carie;, and
there was not a significant relationship between dental caries and the following factors: age,
sex, ages of parents, number of children in the family, water source, knowledge and practice of
oral health care.
1. Introduction
Dental caries are a common disease in Viet Nam and all over the world. It
affects aesthetics as well as the function of mastication. If the caries are not treated
properly, it can cause dangerous complications. Nowadays, dental carie prevention is
effectely implentmented in many developed countries. Meanwhile, dental carie
prevalence in developing countries is very high because of the inadequacy of
prevention measures.
The measures for preventing dental caries recommended by the WHO are:
Fluoride water, oral health education, reasonable diet, and regular dental examination.
In Viet Nam, the oral health promotion program has been implemted for 15
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years but oral deseases prevalence is still high. The national oral health survey in 2002
showed that the dental caries prevalence across age groups were : 83,7% in 6; 56,6% in
12; 67% in 15; 75 – 89,7% in adults.
The aims of this study are to identify the dental caries prevalence of the
secondary school students in Huong Tra district , 2009 and study some factors relating
to dental caries.
2. Methods
2.1. Research design: Cross – sectionnal descriptive study in the secondary
school students in Huong Tra district, 2009.
2.2. Sample: The stratified cluster sample was used in this study. There were
663 students participating in this study, who were divided into 2 groups: one living in
the town, the other living in communes.
2.3. Contents and variables of the research
- Dental carie prevalence
- DMFT, DMFS index
- Teeth group caries clasification
- Related fators: age, gender, oral hygiene situation, mean age of parents,
number of children in family, educational level of parents, water resource, knowlegde
and practice of oral health.
- Caries diagnosis belongs to WHO dental caries criteria
2.4. Research instruments
- Examiner: the author and a dentist who works in Huong Tra health service
center.
- Equipment:
+ Questionnaire, examination paper.
+ A Mirror, explorer, and precelle were used to examine.
2.5. Statistical method: Data was analysed using SPSS 17.0, P value ≤ 0.05 was
used to analyse the significant difference between the variables.
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3. Results
3.1. General characteristic of study population
Table1. Gender and Age of study population
Gender
Age
Male Female Total
n % n % n %
12 57 8,6 % 86 13% 143 21,6%
13 78 11,8% 97 14,6% 175 26,4%
14 62 9,4% 89 13,4% 151 22,8%
15 94 14,2% 100 15,1% 194 29,2%
Total 291 56,1% 372 43,9% 663 100%
Table 2. Location of study population
Location n %
Urban 335 50,5%
Rural 328 49,4%
Total 663 100%
3.2. Dental caries Status
Table 3. Dental caries prevalence
Caries n %
No caries 102 15,4
Caries 561 84,6
Total 663 100
Table 4. Caries experience (DMFT and DMFS)
DMFT.
n Max Min Total Mean SD
663 12 0 1992 3.00 2.31
DMFS.
n Max Max Total Mean SD
663 29 0 3589 5.42 4.94
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Table 5. Caries prevalence among teeth groups
Teeth
group
Upper
incisors and
canines
Upper
molars and
premolars
Lower
incisors and
canines
Lower
molars and
premolars p
n % n % n % n %
0.000
Caries 42 6,3 319 48,1% 4 0,6% 538 81,1%
No caries 621 93,7% 344 51,9% 659 99,4% 125 18,9%
Total 663 100% 663 100% 663 100% 663 100%
3.3. Relation factors to caries
Table 6. Caries and DMFT by gender
Gender
Caries Male Female Total p
Prevalence n 245 316 561 0.789
% 84,2% 84,9% 84,6%
DMFT 2.86 3.12 3.00 0.152
Total 291 372 663
Table 7. Caries and DMFT by ages
Ages
Caries 12 13 14 15 p
Prevalence n 131 145 125 160 0.076
% 91,6% 82,9% 82,8% 82,5%
DMFT 2.93 2.77 3.09 3.20 0.315
Total 143 175 151 194 663
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Table 8. Caries and DMFT by location
Location
Caries Urban Rural p
Prevalence n 302 259 0.000
% 90.1 % 79.0 %
DMFT 3.52 2.48 0.000
Total 335 328 663
Table 9. Caries and DMFT by oral hygiene
Oral hygine
Caries Good fair Moderate Bad p
Prevalence n 7 163 258 133 0.000
% 50 72.1 89.6 98.5
DMFT 1.50 2.10 3.27 4.11 0.000
Total 14 226 288 135 663
Table 10. Caries and DMFT by number of children in family
No.of children
Caries 1 2 ≥ 2 p
Prevalence n 18 113 427 0.553
% 90.0% 86.9 % 83.9 %
DMFT 3.45 2.97 2.99 0.677
Total 20 130 509 659
Table 11. Caries and DMFT by Parents’ education level
Ecation level
Caries Primary Secondary High
school University p
Prevalence
n 137 245 94 52 0.190
% 80.1% 84.8% 89.5% 86.7%