Dental survey of children in Firozepur, Punjab, India

Objectives: In the absence of oral health needs data, many new dental schools, including the new privately funded dental school in Firozepur, Punjab, are opening in India. Ground water in Firozepur has a high fluoride (ranging from 0.60 to 1.25 mg/L) concentration. Since the development of a dental workforce should relate to the need for dental care, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of dental caries and dental fluorosis among children aged 6 and 12 years. The 12-year-olds also completed a questionnaire on caries risk factors.

Materials and methods: A total of 1600 children were selected randomly from three socio-demographic strata, both rural and urban, in Firozepur district and were examined for dental caries and fluorosis experience according to W.H.O guidelines.

Results: Caries experience results are shown in Table. Fluorosis prevalence (very mild or more) was 51.5%.

Conclusions: Caries experience in the primary and permanent dentitions of children in Firozepur was lower than WHO reported values for India.