Document Type : Original Articles

Abstract

Introduction: It is important to evaluate the orodental health status in preschool children. The aim of this study was to assess the orodental health status in preschool children in Fardis in Alborz Province.
Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional/descriptive study was carried out using direct observation and examination of 940 randomly selected preschool children in Fardis in Alborz Province; dmft index was studied in these children, including decayed, missing and filled teeth based on World Health Organization guidelines. Data were analyzed with t-test, ANOVA and correlation coefficient to evaluate the significance of relationships between dmft and children’s gender and parents’ educational level and employment (α = 0.05).
Results: The mean dmft in the subjects was 5.33±3.82, with the mean numbers of decayed, filled and missing teeth in the children being 4.70±3.78, 1.24±0.50 and 0.47±0.13, respectively. There was a significant relationship between children’s dmft and fathers’ educational level (p value = 0.041) and mothers’ educational level (p value = 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the mothers’ employment status and children’s dmft (p value = 0.018). However, no significant relationship was found between gender and dmft index. The highest correlation coefficient was detected between fathers’ education and the number of filled teeth (0.188) (p value = 0.000).
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, higher educational levels in the family contribute to improving the oral health of children. Decreasing the high levels of dmft in children requires careful planning and proper intervention. Educating the family and improving health knowledge should be considered as the most important issue for oral health promotion in preschool children.
Key words: Children, Dental health, Oral health.