Oral Health Status of 5, 12, and 15 Years Old Rural Children of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract Background: Oral diseases have significant impact on the rural community. According to World Health Organization, 5, 12 and 15 years children from the vulnerable population for the development of these diseases and hence it is important to monitor their oral health status. Aim and Objectives: To assess the oral health status of 5, 12 and 15 years old rural children of Raipur district, Chhattisgarh. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Raipur district. A total of 600 rural children were examined to assess the oral health status using WHO Oral Health Assessment form for children 2013. Results: There was significant difference in caries experience between 12 and 15 years old children ( P =0.031) whereas, no statistically significant difference seen in gender wise comparison of dmft and DMFT scores among different age groups ( P = 0.061; P =0.681). Almost 80% of the children were free from gingival diseases; 6% of them had dental erosion and 18.2% were suffering from dental trauma related consequences. Conclusion: The prevalence of dental caries amongst children was quite high and hence the need for caries treatment was substantial, and there is also an urgent need for establishing caries-preventive activities for rural children.