Dental Caries among Children and Adolescents of the Santo Amaro Project, Recife – Pernambuco – Brazil

Abstract

SUMMARY Objective: to investigate the experience of dental caries among children and adolescents taking part in a social project undertaken by the Escola de Educação Física of the Universidade de Pernambuco (Santo Amaro Project) using the DMF and dmf indices in the year 2003. Material and Methods: the data were collected by 4 calibrated examiners (dentists) (Kappa intra-examiner = 1; Kappa inter-examiners = 0.83) and 2 recorders (dentistry students) by means of clinical examinations carried out in accordance with the World Health Organization criteria (1997). The sample was made up of 402 children, aged between 6 and 17 years. The statistical analysis included the obtaining of absolute and percent frequencies, central trend measurements (average and median) and the standard deviation as dispersion measure. Results: most of the children and adolescents (53.5%) presented zero DMF and dmf indices. The average DMF was 1.44, with a minimal value of zero and a maximal one 12. The average dmf was 1.35, with a minimal value of zero and a maximal one of 10. For both indices, the median had a zero value. The standard deviation was 2.19 for the DMF index and 1.53 for the dmf index. At 7 years of age, the average dmf was 1.88. At 12 years of age, the average DMF was 1.35. Conclusion: the experience of caries among the examined children was low, the average DMF and dmf indices being close to the goals established by the World Health Organization for the year 2010. DESCRIPTORS Prevalence. Dental caries. Child. Adolescents.