Caries prevalence and severity in urban Fijian school children

Abstract

Objectives. To determine the prevalence and severity of dental caries in a sample of urban Fijian school children. Design. Cross-sectional. Sample and methods. Children aged between 6 and 8 years who attended one of four primary schools in different localities of Suva completed self-report questionnaires and were examined for dental caries. Results. A total of 704 children (response rate = 72·4%) returned questionnaires and were examined dentally. The prevalence of dental caries in the primary dentition was 87·6% and in the permanent dentition, 46·7%. The mean dfs and mean DFS were 8·43 (SD 7·82) and 2·38 (SD 1·37), respectively. High caries prevalence and severity were associated with infrequent brushing, snacking on sugar-containing foods, having seen a dentist before, and having last visited a dentist because of pain. Conclusions. The caries prevalence of the sample was comparable with findings from a national oral health survey conducted in 1985/86, but the caries severity was greater. As in other developing countries, this may be due to an increased availability of refined sugar products without a concurrent rise in oral health awareness. The study findings contribute to the overall picture of Fijian school children's dental health.