2000-12-3-140-148 - Saudi Dental Journal

ISSN (Print) 1013-9052
EISSN 1658-3558

The Saudi Dental Journal,
P.O. Box 52500,
Riyadh 11563,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Tel.	966-1-467-7328
Fax.	933-1-467-7308 / 966-1-467-7534
Email	saudidj@ksu.edu.sa

Caries experience in grades 1 and 6 children attending

elementary schools at King Abdul Aziz Military City,

Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Barry L. Stewart, BDSc, LDS, MDSc, FRACDS, Tarik S. Al Juhani, BDS,
Akeel S. Al Akeel, BDS, Hatim A. Al Brikeet, BDS,
Wadha H. Al Buhairan, BDS, Najwa H. Al Bundagji, BDS
Fahad A. Al Deghaishem, BDS, MSc, Bahgat R. Abdullah, MD, MPH
North West Armed Forces Hospitals, Department of Dental Services, PO Box 100, Tabuk, KSA

Caries experience In grades 1 and 6 children attending the elementary schools at King Abdul-Aziz Military City, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia was investigated in order to (a) highlight the extent of dental disease in the community, (b) assess the need to change emphasis from restorative-oriented to preventive-oriented dental services, (c) assist in determining the required resources to implement a preventive oral health program and (d) determine base line data to monitor the effectiveness of future preventive programs at Northwest Armed Forces Hospitals (NWAFH). Using the World Health Organization basic methodology for oral health surveys, mean primary dmft for children in grade 1 (mean age = 6.02±0.36 years) was found to be 7.77 and permanent DMFT In grade 6 (mean age = 11.12±0.76 years) was 2.91 with no statistical difference between gender in both groups. The untreated (decayed) component in both groups was very high at 83 percent. The combined results of a survey questionnaire for parents of children in both groups revealed that 24 percent of boys and 19 percent of girls rarely or never brush their teeth, and that few used toothpaste before three years of age with females significantly less than males (7 and 19.5 percent, respectively). The majority of respondents said that their children regularly consume sweet foods and beverages between meals, 71 percent of boys and 67 percent of girls Indicating they indulge twice or more each day. The fluoride ion levels In domestic tap drinking water on the military cantonment were determined and found to be below optimum levels, ranging From u.ib too. J9mg/I. me survey questionnaire revealed, however, that only about one third of children obtain drinking water from the cantonment, with a relatively small number from commercially bottled water (0.70 mg/l fluoride Ion) and about half from private water treatment stations. The

levels of fluoride ion of the latter are unknown and need to be determined. Possible barriers to the implementation of preventive oral health programs in military hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were presented and the need for their identification and resolution advocated. Thus the present study has helped to highlight and resolve the major barriers at NWAFH, so that proposals for new facilities and human resources have been approved. These include establishment of a Child Dental Health Centre, which is thought to be the first government facility of its kind in the Kingdom. Finally, recognizing the currently high demand for restorative services as one of the barriers to the implementation of a preventive policy at NWAFH, employment of the atraumatic restorative technique (ART) was suggested as a means of reducing the current high level of untreated caries.

Saudi Dental Journal 2000;12(3):140-148.