Dental Caries Experience of Primary School Childrenin Sirte -Libya

Dental caries among children is common but there is scarcity of updated data about its prevalence among children. The aim of this study was to assessment of the caries experience of primary school children in Sirte – Libya. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study,the total eligible sample comprised 521 students, 373 of them females and 248 males, aged between 5 and 13 years. Participants were examined for dental caries, using the decayed, missing and filled teeth index (DMFT/ dmft) according to the WHO criteria, which were done by three dentists with dental mirror, dental explorer and ordinary room light. Results: Among 119 children aged 5-7 years, 74.0% had decay in their teeth, with a mean DMFT/dmft of 3.5± 3.1. Among 156 children aged 8-10 years, 84.0% had dental caries, with a mean DMFT/dmft of 3.3± 2.9. Whilie ,in the 11-13 years group , 69.1%had caries lesions with a mean DMFT/dmft of 2.8±2.6. Conclusions:Dental caries prevalence and severity in 5 and 13year-olds primary school students in Sirte were high, there is an urgent need for oral health programs targeted at the treatment and prevention of dental caries in these children.