Assessment of Caries by Using FDI Caries Matrix among Preschool Children in Muang District, Nakhonsawan

Abstract

Dental caries, one of the most widespread diseases, has traditionally been assessed by WHO criteria including only obvious caries lesion. Some more indices were established to detect wider range of caries including FDI caries matrix. The purpose of this study was to provide an assessment of caries as a health outcome. A total number of 563 kindergarten students in the age group of four to six years were examined from 3 purposively selected primary schools in municipal area of Muang District, Nakhonsawan. Diagnosis was visual with drying of the teeth by gauze and careful examined by plain mouth mirror under natural light. The intra examiner agreement in diagnosis was determined by Kappa coefficient (0.77). Descriptive statistics, chi square and ANOVA were used to analyze the data at the statistical significance level of p<.05. The prevalence of caries and untreated caries (pufa>0) of the preschool students aged 4, 5 and 6 were 78.2, 89.8, 94.1 and 44.9, 59.6 and 74.1 respectively. The mean numbers of pufa were 1.78±2.70, 3.03±3.72 and 4.18±3.89 respectively. Not only the prevalence of caries and untreated caries (pufa>0) but also mean numbers of pufa were statistically significant associated with age. FDI caries matrix seemed to give much more relevant information about caries progression which could provide appropriate caries-preventive intervention.