Overview of Dental Caries in Correlation with Tooth Brushing Habit and Dental Visit on Elementary School Students in Central Maluku

Introduction: Epidemiological studies showed that dental caries is most common among school students throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of dental caries in school age children is still high. Problems that caused by dental caries if left untreated properly can impact many aspects by causing pain, discomfort, and potential school absences due to pain. In addition, dental caries can also cause a discomfort in chewing food, decreasing appetite, inadequate nutrition, and affecting their overall growth and development. The most common cause of dental health problems in school-aged children is poor oral hygiene and lack of regular dental visits, which makes both of these as the primary factors in preventing dental caries. Objective: To describe the incidence of dental caries in correlation with tooth brushing and dental visit frequency on elementary school students in central Maluku. Methods and Materials: A descriptive study with a cross-sectional design which using questionnaire to determine the tooth brushing habits and dental visits, and also performing dental examination to determine the dental caries status (DMF-T). The research sample was taken from 14 elementary schools on Seram Island, Maluku with a total sampling technique which was carried out by recording the total number of elementary students that are presents at that time. Result: Of the 799 student examined, 410 were male student and 349 were female student. Good toothbrushing habits were reported by 650 students, while 152 students reported poor toothbrushing habits. A total of 647 student had never visited a dentist, while 152 students had visited a dentist. The incidence of dental caries was higher in a male student with DMF-T (3) compared to female students with DMF-T (2,3). Conclusion: Good toothbrushing habits were reported by most of the students, but most of the students had never visited a dentist. The incidence of dental caries was higher in a male student compared to female students.