OBJECTIVE To measure the level of nursing caries in children attending the maternal schools in the area of Ulls n 15 "Alta Padovana" and compare the current data with the previous data collected in 1994. BACKGROUND Nursing caries, or early childhood caries, affects the upper primary deciduous teeth and its prevalence varies between countries (Milnes 1996). It is particularly prevalent amongst children of disadvantaged families, although if the oral health is poor it can be found in children irrespective of their social class. METHODS A sample of 596 children attending maternal schools were visited between October 2002 to February 2003. The dental screenings were undertaken by one dentist in the schools using a plane mouth mirror, a dental probe and a portable light. Data were recorded in a clinical chart according to the WHO criteria for oral health surveys. For the diagnosis of the nursing caries at least two upper deciduous teeth had to be affected by caries. RESULTS Overall sample: mean age of the sample was 3.92 years, male children (309), females (287). The mean dmft index was 1 (D=0.94), 78.5% of children were caries free. A total of 48 children (8% of total), 32 males and 16 females were in the nursing caries subgroup. The mean age of this subgroup was 4.1 years; the mean dmft was 7.6. In 1994 in 4 year-old children of the same area the percentage with nursing caries was 11.9%. The mean dmft of the overall sample was 1.2 and 69,6 % of children were caries free (Ferro 1994). CONCLUSIONS From 1994 to 2002/3 oral health indeces have improved and the percentage of children with nursing caries decreased

THE PREVALENCE OF NURSING CARIES IN VENETO REGION ITALY

STELLINI, EDOARDO
2003

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To measure the level of nursing caries in children attending the maternal schools in the area of Ulls n 15 "Alta Padovana" and compare the current data with the previous data collected in 1994. BACKGROUND Nursing caries, or early childhood caries, affects the upper primary deciduous teeth and its prevalence varies between countries (Milnes 1996). It is particularly prevalent amongst children of disadvantaged families, although if the oral health is poor it can be found in children irrespective of their social class. METHODS A sample of 596 children attending maternal schools were visited between October 2002 to February 2003. The dental screenings were undertaken by one dentist in the schools using a plane mouth mirror, a dental probe and a portable light. Data were recorded in a clinical chart according to the WHO criteria for oral health surveys. For the diagnosis of the nursing caries at least two upper deciduous teeth had to be affected by caries. RESULTS Overall sample: mean age of the sample was 3.92 years, male children (309), females (287). The mean dmft index was 1 (D=0.94), 78.5% of children were caries free. A total of 48 children (8% of total), 32 males and 16 females were in the nursing caries subgroup. The mean age of this subgroup was 4.1 years; the mean dmft was 7.6. In 1994 in 4 year-old children of the same area the percentage with nursing caries was 11.9%. The mean dmft of the overall sample was 1.2 and 69,6 % of children were caries free (Ferro 1994). CONCLUSIONS From 1994 to 2002/3 oral health indeces have improved and the percentage of children with nursing caries decreased
2003
J. of British. Ass. for the Community Dental Health. Vol 20; 3: 181 – sept.2003
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11577/181740
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