Frequency and Risk Indicators of Dental Caries in Schoolchildren of Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Objective: The study evaluated the frequency of dental caries and their risk indicators among schoolchildren elevated and living in areas of low fluoridated. These indicators included socioeconomic status, toothbrushing habits, sweets consumption, pattern of dental visits, and salivary mutans streptococci levels (assessed only in 12-year-olds).Materials and Methods: This community survey was conducted in schoolchildren of Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The study children included a random sample of three age groups: 6 years (n=450), 12 years (n=230), and 15 years (n=180) from randomly selected schools in Rawalakot, AJK. For the study conducted between February and May 2023. The dmft (decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth) and DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth) and decay-missing-filled surfaces (dmfs/DMFS) indices were employed to document the frequency of caries.Results: In 6-year-olds, the caries-free frequency in primary dentition was 58%. The dmft and dmfs mean was 1.9 and 3.7 respectively, while the score of DMFT and DMFS was 0.5. Nearly 90% of dmft score was due to active decay. Children with lower socioeconomic status had significant high dmft and dmfs scores, as well as a greater proportion of individuals with a combined dmft + DMFT score of ? 1. Among 12-year-olds, 55% had caries history, with mean DMFT and DMFS scores of 1.5 and 2.2, respectively. The filled component constituted the majority of scores. Children were mostly caries-free and had lower DMFT, DMFS, and DT scores if they regularly visited dentist for routine checkups, had higher socioeconomic status (although this not being associated to DMFT), frequently less consumed sweets, and had lower levels of streptococcus mutans. Among 15-year-olds, 70% had a history of caries, with mean of 1.7 DMFT and 3.5 DMFS scores, and a high frequency of the filled teeth (FT).Conclusion: Children who regularly visited dentist for routine checkups had significant low caries experience, as well as low DMFT, DMFS, and DT scores, compared to those who attended irregularly. Additionally, children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds mostly have high DMFS scores.