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African Health Sciences
Makerere University Medical School
ISSN: 1680-6905 EISSN: 1680-6905
Vol. 17, No. 3, 2017, pp. 905-911
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Bioline Code: hs17110
Full paper language: English
Document type: Study
Document available free of charge
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African Health Sciences, Vol. 17, No. 3, 2017, pp. 905-911
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Dental caries experience and treatment needs of an adult female population in Nigeria.
Lawal, Folake & Alade, Omolola
Abstract
Background: Experience and awareness of adult females concerning dental caries is important in its prevention particularly in children because of their natural role as care givers.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in an adult female Nigerian population.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adult females attending outreach programmes were examined for dental caries using the Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth caries index (DMFT). Socio-demographic variables were also recorded and statistical analysis done with SPSS software.
Results: A total of 430 females aged 16 to 59 years participated in the outreach programme out of which 109 (25.3%) had a DMFT score > 0. Mean DMFT was 0.7 ± 1.6. Fifty-five (12.8%) participants had decayed teeth, 78 (18.1 %) had missing teeth and 10(2.3%) had filled teeth. The treatment need was 34.3%, restorative index was 13.3% and significant caries index was 2.0. There were significant differences in caries experience based on age, marital status and educational qualifications of participants p < 0.05.
Conclusion: The prevalence of dental caries among the study group was low but the treatment need was high. Younger females, singles and those with lower educational qualifications had a higher dental caries experience.
Keywords
Adults; dental caries; DMFT; female; prevalence; treatment needs
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