Dental Status of New Caledonian Children: Is There a Need for a New Oral Health Promotion Programme?

Abstract

BackgroundBefore implementing a new oral health promotion program in the French overseas territory of Nouvelle Calédonie, the health authorities needed recent data about dental status of the New Caledonian child population.ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe the dental status of 6, 9 and 12-yr-old New Caledonian children and to investigate the environmental and behavioural risk factors related to oral health.MethodsA randomly selected sample of 2734 children (744 6-yr-olds, 789 9-yr-olds, and 1201 12-yr-olds) was examined clinically by seven calibrated investigators and participants responded to a questionnaire. The main variables were objective criteria about dental status and subjective criteria about experience of dental care, dental fear, self-perception of oral health, cultural or ethnic identity and environmental and behavioural risk factors.ResultsOverall, most of the children had infectious oral diseases: more than 50% had gingivitis, and 60% of 6- and 9 yr-olds had at least one deciduous or permanent tooth with untreated caries. The mean 12-yr-old number of decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT) was 2.09±2.82. The number of carious lesions was related to the unfavourable lifestyle, deprived social status and no preventive dental care. Kanak, Polynesians and Caledonians (respectively 27%, 18% and 45% of the study sample) were more affected by caries than metropolitan French and Asian children. Children with many untreated carious lesions had negative perceptions of their oral health; they complained of chewing difficulty and had higher scores for dental anxiety.ConclusionThis study highlights the need for new strategies aimed at improving oral health and at reducing inequalities in New Caledonia. An oral health promotion program would need to be developed in connection with other health programmes using the common risk factor approach within the context of the local environment.

Validation of the child oral health impact profile (COHIP) french questionnaire among 12 years-old children in New Caledonia

“…It has been recently reported that one in two 12-year-old children in New Caledonia (NC) was affected by dental caries with at least one untreated cavitated lesion [ 1 ]. As in other developed countries of the Pacific, socio-economic status and ethnicity had a strong influence on dental status leading to high oral health disparities [ 1 – 3 ]. Thus, implementing effective oral health promotion interventions is necessary in this overseas French territory, especially for children and adolescents.…”

Implementation and impact of a dental preventive intervention conducted within a health promotion program on health inequalities: A retrospective study

“…Radiographs were not used. Six general dental practitioners performed the children's examinations, after having been calibrated through a training course described in a previous study [6]. The presence of dental sealants was recorded.…”

“…Caries experience was unevenly distributed in the population, with one third of 12-yr-olds having more than five untreated carious teeth. The number of carious lesions was related to their unfavourable lifestyle, deprived social status and lack of preventive dental care [6]. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high and greatly increasing between the ages of 6 (respectively 10.8% and 7.8%) and 12 (respectively 22.2% and 20.5%), with one third of the 12-yr-olds having an excess of abdominal adiposity.…”

A school intervention within an oral health promotion program in New Caledonia: Evaluation with a pragmatic approach

“…Radiographs were not used. Six general dental practitioners performed the children's examinations, after having been calibrated through a training course described in a previous study [4].…”

“…Caries experience was unevenly distributed in the population, with one third of 12-yr-olds having more than five untreated carious teeth. The number of carious lesions was related to the unfavourable lifestyle, deprived social status and no preventive dental care [4].…”