Abstract
Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare the dental caries status of the 15-year-old children of the southeast region of Macedonia and the Pandipora District of the Kashmir Division of Jammu and Kashmir State, India.
Methods: In this comparative study, which took place in 2013 in Macedonia and in 2014. In both Macedonia and India, the sample of 15-year-old children (565 in Macedonia and 1024 in India) was selected using a multi stage random sampling technique. The study was approved by the Ministry of Health in Macedonia and the Chief Medical Officer for the relevant district in India. Consent was obtained from the headmasters/mistresses of the schools involved. Participant’s dental status was evaluated using the 2013 World Health Organisation caries diagnostic criteria for decayed, missing or filled Teeth (DMFT) by two calibrated examiners in Macedonia and by the single examiner in India.
Results: The mean value of the DMFT index for the whole sample in India was 1.72±0.25 whereas for Macedonia it was 3.43±3.01, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). In the Indian sample, 132 (26 %) and in Macedonia sample 106 (19 %) of the children were caries free (DMFT=0). In both countries, the female children had higher mean DMFT values. The filled component of DMFT was higher among the Macedonian children, who had higher utilisation rates of dental care in comparison to their Indian counterparts.
Conclusions: The mean DMFT of children from Macedonia who took part in this study was higher in comparison with children from India. The most likely reason for this can be the fact that sugar consumption in India was less in comparison with Macedonia.
The presenter of this abstract (3505) received a Borrow Travel Award
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