Dental treatment needs of children in a rural subcounty of Uganda.
Nalweyiso, N;
Busingye, J;
Whitworth, J;
Robinson, PG;
(2004)
Dental treatment needs of children in a rural subcounty of Uganda.
International journal of paediatric dentistry / the British Paedodontic Society [and] the International Association of Dentistry for Children, 14 (1).
pp. 27-33.
ISSN 0960-7439
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-263x.2004.00514.x
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OBJECTIVES: To describe normative dental treatment needs of 5-7 and 12-year-olds in a rural sub county of Uganda and devise a strategy to improve oral health. DESIGN: Clinical survey. SETTING: Primary schools in the subcounty. SAMPLE AND METHODS: School-based random cluster sample of 236 5-7-year-olds and 202 12-year-olds. Dental status and treatment need data were collected according to WHO Oral Health Surveys Basic Methods. Additional data for 12-year-olds included dental fluorosis using the Thylstrup and Fejerskov index (TFI), oral hygiene procedures and experience of oral pain in the previous month. RESULTS: In the 5-7-year-olds, mean dmft was 1.47 (50.8% dmft = 0). A total of 52.5% needed fillings and almost one third needed a tooth extracted. Among the 12-year-olds, mean DMFT was 0.64 (65.8% DMFT = 0), 28.5% had dental fluorosis and 6.7% had TFI > 2. Toothache in the previous four weeks was reported by 36.5%, 30.2% needed a filling and 6.4% needed one or more teeth extracted. CONCLUSIONS: Dental disease is a significant public health problem in this population. An efficient way to meet the needs of the children would be to increase the availability of fluoride toothpaste and to develop a service to provide treatment using Atraumatic Restorative Technique.