Community Dental Health

cover art

Cover Date:
March 2012
Print ISSN:
0265 539X
Vol:
29
Issue:
1

Dental Fluorosis, Dental Caries, and Quality of Life Factors among Schoolchildren in a Colombian Fluorotic Area

doi:10.1922/CDH_2703Tellez05

Objective: To assess dental fluorosis, dental caries and quality of life factors associated with dental fluorosis among schoolchildren living in a Colombian endemic dental fluorosis area. Method: 110 12-year olds were visually examined for dental caries (ICDAS) and dental fluorosis (TF) and a self-administered quality of life and fluorosis questionnaire was applied. Results: The prevalence of dental fluorosis reached 100% in this sample with most children falling within the TF 3 severity category. Varying degrees of severity were observed as follows for TF 1 to 6: 1%, 16%, 62%, 16%, 4%, 2%. The prevalence of caries experience (DF-S2) was 54%. The DF-S2 mean was 4.4 (sd 4.3). The principal contributor to the DF-S2 outcome was the decayed component. When initial caries lesions were included (ICDASscores 1-3) the mean DF-S1,2 increased to 10 (sd 5.1). The association between fluorosis and dental caries was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Children not only detected the presence of something abnormal in their teeth but also reported feeling embarrassed, and worried due to their dental appearance. Almost 60% of the children reported avoiding smiling because of their teeth’s appearance. Conclusions: The high prevalence of dental fluorosis and dental caries combined with the schoolchildren’s negative perception about their dental health reflects the need to propose effective dental public health policies to regulate multiple exposures to fluoride at an early age, and to improve health outcomes in a highly vulnerable population.

Key words: dental fluorosis, dental caries, quality of life, schoolchildren, ICDAS, TF index

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£
Page Start
95
Page End
99
Authors
M. Tellez, R.M. Santamaria, J. Gomez, S. Martignon

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. Editorial - Dental Public Health in Action
  2. 3
  3. 3

  1. Acknowledgement of Referees
  2. 4
  3. 4

  1. A description of a specialist led primary care based oral surgery service
  2. 5
  3. 7

  1. The caries experience of 11 to 12 year-old children in Scotland and Wales and 12 year-olds in England in 2008-2009: Reports of co-ordinated surveys using BASCD methodology
  2. 8
  3. 13

  1. Assessment of caries experience in epidemiological surveys: a review
  2. 14
  3. 20

  1. Dental caries experience among 12-year-old children in Northwest Russia
  2. 20
  3. 24

  1. Variations in caries diagnoses and treatment recommendations and their impacts on the costs of oral health care
  2. 25
  3. 28

  1. Caries prevalence of 5, 12 and 15-year-old Greek children: A national pathfinder survey
  2. 29
  3. 32

  1. Associated factors of tooth wear among Malaysian 16-year-olds: a case-control study in Kota Bharu, Kelantan
  2. 33
  3. 38

  1. Factors associated with self-assessed masticatory ability among community-dwelling elderly Japanese
  2. 39
  3. 44

  1. The use of occlusal indices in high-impact literature
  2. 45
  3. 48

  1. Oral health status of a group of illicit drug users in Delhi, India
  2. 49
  3. 54

  1. Promoting Positive Health Behaviours – ‘Tooth Worm’ Phenomenon and its Implications
  2. 55
  3. 61

  1. Development and testing of a theory-based behavioural change intervention: A pilot investigation in a nursery school in a deprived area of Scotland
  2. 62
  3. 67

  1. The oral health status of Special Olympics athletes in Belgium
  2. 68
  3. 73

  1. Coincidence and awareness of oral parafunctions in college students
  2. 74
  3. 77

  1. Illness-related behaviour and sociodemographic determinants of oral health care use in Dabou, Côte d’Ivoire
  2. 78
  3. 84

  1. Number of teeth and its association with central obesity in older Southern Brazilians
  2. 85
  3. 89

  1. Perception of oral health related quality of life (OHQoL-UK) among periodontal risk patients before and after periodontal therapy
  2. 90
  3. 94

  1. Dental Fluorosis, Dental Caries, and Quality of Life Factors among Schoolchildren in a Colombian Fluorotic Area
  2. 95
  3. 99

  1. Relationship of Periodontal Disease to Pre-term Low Birth Weight Infants in a Selected Population - A Prospective Study.
  2. 100
  3. 105

  1. Dental Enamel Defects in Italian Children with Cystic Fibrosis: an observational study
  2. 106
  3. 109

  1. Orofacial pain symptoms and associated disability and psychosocial impact in community-dwelling and institutionalized elderly in Hong Kong
  2. 110
  3. 116

  1. Association of hyposalivation with oral function, nutrition and oral health in community-dwelling elderly Thai
  2. 117
  3. 123

  1. Assessment of the relationship between perceptions of dental aesthetics and demand for orthodontic treatment in 10 – 11 year old school children in Birmingham, UK.
  2. 124
  3. 128