Evaluating dental caries experience, treatment needs and dental fluorosis in scholars from Jundiaí, SP/ Brazil

Abstract

The present study aimed to de- termine the prevalence of dental caries, treatment needs and den- tal fluorosis in children aging five to twelve years from public and pri- vate schools in the city of Jundiai. 765 children were randomly selec- ted according to the World Heal- th Organization (WHO, 1997). At age 5, the dmft found was 2.08 and 48.4% of these children were caries free (dmft = 0) of which 40.0% were enrolled at public and 70.6% at pri- vate schools (p = 0.01). At age twel- ve, the DMFT found was 2.33 and 32.3% were caries free (DMFT = 0). There was higher indication for two or more filled surfaces among treatment needs for preschoolers (five and six years old) while for scholars (seven to twelve years old) these needs were of only one surface. At public schools, the DMFT at age twelve was higher (2.65) than the value observed at private schools (1.33) (p < 0,05). Re- garding to treatment need, 56.3% of scholars from public schools needed fillings of one surface and 11.5% ne- eded extractions, while at private schools, 63.6% needed fillings of one surface and showed no too- th lost. Dental fluorosis among preschoolers was 7.1% and 5.9% respectively for public and priva- te schools while for scholars was 9.0% and 11.8% respectively. Hi- gher attention on oral health must be given to scholars from public schools, many times with lower ac- cess to oral treatment. Key words: dental caries, fluorosis, preschoolers, scholars