Dental health practices versus oral health condition in 12-year-old children from West Pomerania Province

Introduction. Oral health condition is a result of
numerous factors, and hygiene-nutrition practices
play a key role in this respect. Aim of the study. To
assess the condition of health in 12-year-old children
from West Pomerania Province in the light of their
awareness of caries prevention and health-oriented
practices. Material and method. The study covered
a group of 120 children – 12 years of age – living in the
area of Łobez (a small town). The clinical examination
was performed to assess the condition of the teeth by
means of caries prevalence and frequency index. The
condition of the teeth was assessed according to the
WHO criteria by duly qualified dental practitioners.
The questionnaire survey provided the data on oral
health conditions and eating habits of the children
concerned. Results. The prevalence of caries in the
entire group of children from the small town and rural
areas was 86.7%. Almost 60% of the children required
dental treatment and it concerned significantly more
children from the rural areas compared to those living
in the town. Nearly 2/3 of country children needed
treatment of caries significantly more frequently
compared to their town peers. In our study, the DMFT
score in the children from the small town was 2.73 while
the children from the rural areas exhibited the DMFT
score of 4.35. The caries treatment index in the entire
group of 12-year-old children was low and was found
to be 0.38. The most common reason (62% of cases)
to present at a dental office was a need to restore a