Caries Experience of Egyptian Adolescents: Does the Atraumatic Restorative Treatment Approach Offer a Solution?

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries amongst Egyptian adolescents and the prevalence of carious lesions treatable through the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach. Subjects and Methods: Using a convenient sample procedure, two secondary schools with a dental clinic were selected (967 students, average age: 13.7 ± 0.8 years, range: 12–15). Dental caries was diagnosed using the ART caries criteria, and plaque and calculus were assessed using the Green and Vermillion criteria amongst students grades 1–3 in the dental clinic by 3 calibrated examiners. The effect of the independent variables gender, age, tooth surface, jaw side (left or right) and type of jaw (mandible/maxilla) on dependent caries experience variables and D₂ and D₃ variables were tested using ANOVA. Results: The prevalence of dental caries including enamel lesion (D₂MFT) amongst the 967 students was 51.4% and that of dental caries excluding enamel lesions (D₃MFT) was 38.1%. The mean D₂MFT and D₃MFT scores were 1.5 and 0.8, respectively. The percentage of teeth filled and extracted was low. Female students had statistically significantly higher mean D₃MFT/S and D₂MFT/S scores than males (p < 0.0001). The prevalence of cavitated carious lesions (D₃) treatable through ART was 48% for score 2 and 28% for score 3. Conclusions: Most of the cavitated lesions were found untreated despite the presence of a dental clinic and a dentist on the school premises. The majority of cavitated lesions without pulp involvement could be treated using the preventive and restorative components of the ART approach.

Untreated dental caries prevalence and impact on the quality of life among 11 to14-year-old Egyptian schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study

“…In the present study, caries experience was higher than that reported by two former studies conducted in a nearly similar Egyptian age group. The first study performed in 2011, on 976 schoolchildren [2]. The average DMFT score was 1.68 ± 1.92, and this might be assigned to the use of a distinct sampling method which relied on choosing only two public schools (one for boys and the other for girls) from the Giza governorate.…”

“…1 Ministry of Health, Fayum, Egypt. 2 Paediatric and Community Centistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Minia University, Postal code, 61519. Province, Minya.…”

“…Dental caries is one of the global health issues in both industrialized and developing communities. However, dental caries incidence and prevalence is more pronounced in developing countries like Egypt [1,2]. Dental caries is an age-related disease involving about 60-90% of schoolchildren [1,3].…”

Untreated dental caries prevalence and impact on the quality of life among11 to14-year-old Egyptian schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study

“…In the present study, caries experience was less than that reported by two former studies conducted in a nearly similar Egyptian age group. The first study performed in 2011, on 976 schoolchildren [21]. The average DMFT score was 1.68 ± 1.92, and this may be assigned to the use of a distinct sampling method which relied on choosing only two public schools (one for boys and the other for girls) from the Giza governorate.…”

Untreated dental caries prevalence and impact on the quality of life among 11 to14-year-old Egyptian schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study

“…However, dental caries incidence and prevalence is more pronounced in developing countries like Egypt [1,2]. Dental caries is an age-related disease involving about 60-90% of schoolchildren [1,3].…”