Oral Health Status and Dental Assistance Control in 12-year-old School Children in the Penco Municipality, Biobío Region

María Jesús Gaete Forno; Camila Córdova Cisterna & Patricio Oliva Mella

Summary

Dental caries and periodontal disease have a high prevalence in the different age groups, creating a complex health problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the state of oral health and dental attendance controls in 12-year-old patients at the elementary school in the town of Penco. We used a descriptive trans-sectional study with systematic sample of two hundred and fourteen (214) 12-year-old schoolchildren. The results showed a prevalence of caries of 61.03%, with no statistical difference between sexes (value p ~ 0.29). The COPD average was 3.44. Of the studied population 47% have been attended by the dentist in the last 6 months. The average COPD has declined in the last 10 years (from 4.77 to 3.44) with statistically significant value p ~ 0.00. According to the indicators observed, we conclude that 12-year-old school children have poor oral health and less than half have been monitored in the last 6 months.

KEY WORDS: child oral health, oral health in school children, childhood dental controls.

How to cite this article

GAETE, F. M. J.; CÓRDOVA, C. C. & OLIVA, M. P. Oral Health Status and Dental Assistance Control in 12-year-old School Children in the Penco Municipality, Biobío Region. Int. J. Odontostomat., 7(3):389-394, 2013.