Dental Caries Prevalence amongst Gadhsisa School District Children, Kutch, India

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dental caries amongst school children aged 6 to 18 years old; and, based upon that determination, to estimate and plan the need of sealants, fluoride varnishes, and other primary level of dental services amongst other school districts. Methods: Cross sectional study of 971 children, 4 through 19 years old, were chosen on the basis of availability as well recruiting all patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria as they became available, were examined during dental outreach. Dental caries were recorded using the criteria described in the WHO manual for Oral Health Surveys, Basic Methods (1997). Results: 73 % of children had caries experience, 74% of children had a history of untreated cavities, and nearly 61% of total surveyed children in need of early dental care and 13% required urgent dental care. Conclusions: The findings in this study indicate higher caries experience than what has been observed in other regions of the country. No dental restorations were found in any of the 971 children in this study and caries experience was the result of active disease representing a great unmet treatment need. In Gadhsisa, there are no dental practitioners and there is a severe shortage of oral health care providers. Access to care as well as socio-economic factors is of prime concern in this area.