Dental and periodontal status of 12-year-old Bulang children in China

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the dental and periodontal status of 12-year-old Bulang children in China and the factors affecting their oral health status.

Methods:

An oral health survey was conducted in 2011-2012 with ethical approval. A sample of 12-year-old Bulang (an ethnic minority group) children living in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, was selected using a multi-stage and stratified sampling method. One trained dentist examined the children in primary schools using dental mirrors attached to an intra-oral LED light and ball-ended CPI probes. Dental caries and periodontal status were assessed using criteria recommended by World Health Organization. A self-completed questionnaire was used to collect information regarding the children’s socio-demographic background and oral health related behaviors.

Results:

A total of 873 children (437 boys and 436 girls) were surveyed, and 34% of them had caries experience in their permanent dentition. Their mean DMFT score was 0.6 (SD=1.1) and 94% of the score was contributed by untreated decayed teeth (DT). Most (91%) children brushed their teeth at least once daily; but many of them had gingival bleeding on probing (69%) and calculus (58%). Only 30% of them had no gingival bleeding nor calculus. About 28% of the children took sweet snacks daily. More than half (58%) of the children had toothache but only 26% of them had visited a dentist. A multifactor-ANOVA analysis found that DMFT score was higher in girls and those who had toothache within a year.

Conclusions:

The prevalence and severity of dental caries experience among the 12-year-old Bulang children in China was not high, but most of the decayed teeth were untreated. Their caries experience was associated with gender and incidence of toothache. Besides, their oral hygiene and periodontal health status was unsatisfactory.