The aim of this study was to determine association between prevalence of dental caries and subjects with pit and fissure sealants in Korean children.
Methods:
Cross-sectional oral health surveys from 2000 to 2010 were carried out with children aged 8, 10, 12 years old. After stratified cluster sampling, 3,602(2000), 1,796(2003), 3,518(2006), 17,745(2010) children aged 8, 10, 12 years old were examined at school. The number of children by age were 1,194(8yrs), 1,205(10yrs), 1,203(12yrs) in 2000. The number of children by age were 599(8yrs), 600(10yrs), 597(12yrs) in 2003. The number of children by age were 875(8yrs), 888(10yrs), 1,755(12yrs) in 2006. The number of children by age were 5,732(8yrs), 5,760(10yrs), 6,253(12yrs) in 2010. DMFT and fissure sealants were measured according to the WHO criteria. Main outcome variable was decayed, missing, and/or filled teeth (DMFT) prevalence and explanatory variable was sealant prevalence. Confounders were gender (male and female) and area (metropolitan, city, rural).
Results:
The DMFT prevalence was decreased and the sealant prevalence was increased from 2000 to 2010. The sealant recipient had non-significant odds ratio (OR) for DMFT prevalence in 2000 after controlling for gender and area. However, in 2003, the adjusted ORs were significant in 8 years olds (OR=1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-2.15) and 10 years olds (OR=2.03, 95% CI: 1.42-2.91). In 2006, the adjusted ORs were significant in 10 years olds (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.14-1.98). In 2010, the adjusted associations were significant in 8, 10, 12 years old children (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.32-1.67 for 8 years; OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.51-1.86 for 10 years; OR=.1.44, 95% CI: 1.30-1.60 for 12 years).
Conclusions:
Dental caries prevalence has negative association with sealant prevalence in Korea, which indicates that public sealants program in Korea made a preventive contribution to reduction of dental caries in Korean children.