Assessment of Dental Caries among School Children in Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: Dental caries remains a concern among schoolchildren, but recent evidence linking clinical findings with oral hygiene practices and dietary habits in Port Harcourt is limited. Aims: To determine the prevalence of dental caries, describe oral hygiene practices and dietary habits, and identify factors associated with dental caries among junior secondary school students in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, Nigeria. Methods: This school-based cross-sectional study included 384 students aged 10–14 years selected through multistage sampling from 20 public and private schools. Data were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and clinical oral examinations following World Health Organization DMFT/dmft criteria. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were applied. Results: The prevalence of dental caries was 31.8% (95% CI: 27.1–36.4), and pit-and-fissure (Class I) lesions accounted for 62.3% of carious children. Overall, 56.0% had poor oral hygiene practice; although 94.0% brushed their teeth, 39.3% brushed twice daily and 7.8% had visited a dentist within the previous year. Sweet foods (88.5%) and soft drinks (82.6%) were commonly consumed. Of 19 oral hygiene practices assessed, two were associated with caries: not often using the same toothpaste brand (P = .002) and mouthwash use (P = .047). In the adjusted model, JSS 1 students had higher odds of caries than JSS 3 students (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.01–3.26; P = .048). Conclusion: About one in three schoolchildren in Port Harcourt LGA had dental caries, alongside suboptimal oral hygiene practices and frequent intake of sugary foods and drinks. Because the associations were few, of borderline statistical significance and not adjusted for school clustering, they should be interpreted cautiously. School-based oral health education, healthy dietary practices, twice-daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste and routine school dental screening should be strengthened from entry into secondary school.