Prevalence of common oral diseases among children aged 3 to 15 years visiting clinic at Jiblah University for Medical and Health Sciences, Yemen: a cross-sectional study

Oral diseases constitute a serious public health problem due to their widespread prevalence and significant impact on the quality of life of children and their families. In Yemen, oral diseases are often ignored in public health policies, despite being a widespread public health problem that imposes steadily increasing social and economic costs on society. Furthermore, studies documenting information on common oral diseases among children are insufficient. This study aims to determine the prevalence of common oral diseases among children aged 3 to 15 years visiting the dental clinic at Jiblah University for Medical and Health Sciences. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the dental clinics of Jiblah University for Medical and Health Sciences from March to August 2026, in which 140 children were assessed for common oral diseases. Data were collected through self-administered structured questionnaires and clinical examinations (according to WHO methodology and criteria). SPSS version 26 was used for analysis. Chi-square test was applied to determine correlation, and results were considered statistically significant at a p-value of less than 0.05. Among the 140 children, 90 (64.3%) were females and 50 (35.7%) were males. The study revealed that the prevalence of dental caries, malocclusion, gingivitis, and mucosal abnormalities was 86.4%, 63.6%, 9.2%, and 5%, respectively. Significance association between oral diseases and parental education level and monthly income were identified. This study indicates that dental caries among children is more common than other oral diseases. Multi-level strategies, involving families, schools, and oral health professionals, are essential for promoting prevention and health education, as well as facilitating access to care, with the aim of reducing the burden of this disease.