Situational Analysis of Dental Caries for Health Careers New Students

Objectives: To conduct a situational analysis of dental caries including prevalence, severity, determinants for dental caries and treatment needs of new incoming students to health careers at the Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Mexico. Methods: 201 students, ages 17 – 20 years, both genders, were examined by trained and calibrated dentists using ICDAS II code and criteria, and subjects were asked to complete an on- line self-administered questionnaire including oral hygiene and dietary practices, worry about oral health and socioeconomic data. Results: On the basis of WHO criteria (excluding non cavitated lesions), 31.53% of the subjects were caries free and DMFT was 2.42. According to ICDAS II, the mean of affected teeth was 6.87, being the non cavitated lesions (code 2) the most frequent state. Females exhibited higher caries experience. 15% of examined teeth require specific protection measures, 6.74% restorative treatment (3.59 % of these dental organs had caries associated to restorations or sealants); 0.31% were lost and 0.04% were replaced by prosthesis or implants. Most of the respondents brushed their teeth twice (49%) or three (46%) times daily; 62% admitted to take some food more than five times a day, and frequency of intake over four times per week was 45.22 % for sugar, 38% for cookies/bread, 34.31% for soda/juice and 25.92% for candies/chocolate. Only 62.68% had at least a dental visit during the last 12 months: 27.7% in public institutions, 64.3% in private dental offices and 4.8% in the University clinics; furthermore, 67.9% expressed the need for dental care. With respect to family's economic status, 46.17% considers it to be good enough, 46.17 acceptable and just 7.46 as poor. Conclusions: Non cavitated dental caries lesion was the most prevalent stage; the presence of risk factors including poor dietary habits and deficient dental care may result in damage