“AN ASSESSMENT OF ORAL HEALTH STATUS AND TREATMENT NEEDS OF CHILDREN OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Objectives: To assess the oral health status of children and their treatment needs
Methods: sample size: 500 children of both genders, inclusion criteria: 8-12 years, , Data collection procedure: general examination based filling of “WHO oral health assessment form.” It comprised of extra oral examination, DMFT, oral mucosal lesions and flourosis
Results: the gender distribution was 49.4% males and 50.6% females. No extra oral abnormality was noted in any subject. Mean DMFT came out to be 3.82. Among the oral mucosal lesions examined, Aphthous ulcers was the only positive finding that came out to be 0.5% . Flourosis was present in 2.2% of subjects and 61.4% subjects needed referral care
Conclusions: Results signify poor oral health status in children of APSACs Rawalpindi, as shown by high caries index. A high treatment need is also obvious by high referral.