Dental disease prevention in children of different ages in the Zakarpattia region

The study aimed to characterise the dental health status of the child population in Zakarpattia region and identify practical ways to optimise preventive care among children. The study was conducted in January-June 2025 at the Dental Department of the Rakhiv District Hospital, a municipal non-profit enterprise in the Zakarpattia region. The analysis covered 240 children aged 6-15 and involved a clinical and analytical approach combining examination, questionnaires and statistical analysis of the relationships between behavioural and clinical indicators of dental health. The results of the study showed that the average caries intensity index increased from 2.12 in the 6-8 age group to 4.36 in adolescents aged 12-15, accompanied by a deterioration in hygiene status from 1.49 to 2.06. The index was dominated by decayed teeth: 1.50 in younger children, 2.58 in middle-aged children, and 3.02 in older children, reflecting late treatment. Girls had better results (3.22 vs 3.69 in boys) and a higher frequency of regular tooth brushing (77% vs 69%). Territorial analysis revealed a gap: the caries level was 2.84 in urban children and 3.92 in mountain children, with worse hygiene indicators (2.07 vs 1.61). Only 47% of urban children underwent preventive examinations, compared to 32.6% in mountain communities. A negative correlation was found between hygiene behaviour and caries (r = -0.62), confirming the key role of behavioural factors in maintaining health. The obtained results indicated that the dental health of children in Transcarpathia is influenced by age, gender, behavioural habits and territorial conditions, while the effectiveness of prevention remains insufficient due to the uneven participation of schools, families and medical services in the hygiene education system. The practical significance of the study results is determined by the possibility of using the data by local health authorities, school medical services and family doctors to plan regional programmes for caries prevention and hygiene education for children