Abstract
Aim: To compare dental caries prevalence in children aged 12 years living in the city of Volgograd and neighbouring rural a reas i n R ussia.
Methods: Dental examinations in the frame of the National Epidemiological Study were organised in randomly selected secondary schools in seven city districts and in six neighbouring rural areas. 607 children aged 12 years participated in the study (357 from Volgograd). The sample size was calculated according to WHO recommendations for epidemiological studies (40-50 participants from each district/area). Parents’ written informed consent was obtained before the research. The study was conducted according to WHO (1997) recommendations. Dental caries was recorded using DMFT-index (D-component was measured at the cavitated level). The prevalence of dental caries (percentage of children with DMFT>0), the mean DMFT- index, means of D, F and M components, and the standard error of means (±m) were calculated. The dental care index was measured as the proportion (%) of the filled teeth in DMFT-index. The significance of differences was assessed by the Student t-test (at p≤0.05 level).
Results: The response rate was 100%. The number of caries free 12 year old children was 130 (36.4%) out of 357, in urban areas compared with 73 (29.2%), out of 250 in rural areas. Dental caries was found in 227 (63.6%) out of 357 urban children and 177 (70.8%) out of 250 rural children, the mean DMFT was 2.01±0.11 and 2.06±0.29 respectively. The l differences between these indices in urban and rural children were not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, differences were found between the means of the D and F components in urban and rural children: 0.39±0.04 vs 1.11±0.09 (p<0.001) and 1.59±0.11 vs 0.92±0.09 (p<0.001). The mean M component was the same in urban and rural 12-year-olds (0.03±0.01). The dental care index was 79.1% in urban and 44.7% in rural children (p<0,001).
Conclusion: The prevalence of dental caries and the mean DMFT-index in 12-year-old children from urban and rural areas did not show statistically significant differences. However, rural children had significantly fewer filled teeth than their urban peers. These differences emphasise that the access to dental care in urban areas is easier than in rural areas and the need to improve dental service for children in rural areas
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