Ecological study on needs and cost of treatment for dental caries in schoolchildren aged 6, 12, and 15 years

Abstract

To determine the treatment needs and the care index for dental caries in the primary dentition and permanent dentition of schoolchildren and to quantify the cost of care that would represent the treatment of dental caries in Mexico. A secondary analysis of data from the First National Caries Survey was conducted, which was a cross-sectional study conducted in the 32 states of Mexico. Based on dmft (average number of decayed, extracted, and filled teeth in the primary dentition) and DMFT (average number of decayed, extracted, and filled teeth in permanent dentition) information, a treatment needs index (TNI) and a caries care index (CI) were calculated. At age 6 , the TNI for the primary dentition ranged from 81.7% to 99.5% and the CI ranged from 0.5% to 17.6%. In the permanent dentition, the TNI ranged from 58.8% to 100%, and the CI ranged from 0.0% to 41.2%. At age 12 , the TNI ranged from 55.4% to 93.4%, and the CI ranged from 6.5% to 43.4%. At age 15 , the TNI ranged from 50.4% to 98.4%, and the CI ranged from 1.4% to 48.3%. The total cost of treatment at 6 years of age was estimated to range from a purchasing power parity (PPP) of USD $49.1 to 287.7 million in the primary dentition, and from a PPP of USD $3.7 to 24 million in the permanent dentition. For the treatment of the permanent dentition of 12-year-olds, the PPP ranged from USD $13.3 to 85.4 million. The estimated cost of treatment of the permanent dentition of the 15-year-olds ranged from a PPP of USD $10.9 to 70.3 million. The total estimated cost of caries treatment ranged from a PPP of USD $77.1 to 499.6 million, depending on the type of treatment and provider (public or private). High percentages of TNI for dental caries and low CI values were observed. The estimated costs associated with the treatment for caries have an impact because they represent a considerable percentage of the total health expenditure in Mexico.

Experience and Prevalence of Dental Caries in 6 to 12-Year-Old School Children in an Agricultural Community: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The caries levels appear to be similar to studies previously conducted in Mexico and other countries. For example, another study from Mexico focused on a general child population of a similar age reported a greater experience and prevalence of dental caries in primary than permanent dentition [ 6 ], with a range of the dmft index between 0.73 and 5.35 at 6 years of age, and DMFT index between 0.52 and 3.67 at 12 years of age. Other reports have suggested that the caries prevalence in permanent dentition ranges from 70% to 85% among 12-year-old children [ 28 ].…”

“…Dental caries has both a high prevalence and incidence, mainly in those with a socioeconomic disadvantage, and continues to be a serious global health problem [ 2 ]. In Latin America [ 3 , 4 , 5 ] and Mexico, school-age children and adolescents have considerable treatment needs and low experiences of dental services for restorative and preventive treatment [ 6 , 7 ]. Caries impacts diverse aspects of life; for example, dental caries may be associated with dental pain, failure to thrive, and negative effects on body weight and height, and may affect one’s quality of life [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Self-Reported Dental Caries by Mexican Elementary and Middle-School Schoolchildren in the Context of Socioeconomic Indicators: A National Ecological Study

“…While in Latin America there is only a small number of countries that report dental health status with nationally representative samples [2], dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease [3]. In Mexico, the situation is similar, with low utilization of preventive dental services and high prevalence of caries and treatment needs in children and adolescents [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In general, about half of individuals between 6 and 12 years of age present caries lesions in any tooth of either primary or permanent dentition [4,10], with consequences in terms of pain, suffering, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life.…”

Leche humana y su efecto sobre la mineralización del esmalte: revisión de literatura

“…En México, a los 6 años, la caries dental en la dentición primaria alcanza valores, de los índices de ceod, que van de 0.73 a 5.35 y prevalencias (18) entre el 26.3% a 77.5% . Por lo que también en México se trata del principal problema de salud pública bucal, ya que tiene diversos impactos en las (19)(20)(21)(22) personas, familias y el sistema de salud .…”