The National survey of caries-free Thai 3 -year - old children in the year 2004.

Abstract

The National survey of dental caries in Thai 3 -year-old children in the year 2004 was performed in 76 provinces to evaluate caries-free situation of preschool children in Thailand. Samples were 480 3-year-old children in day-care centers / schools each province. The result of this study, Lamphun was the province having highest caries-free children, 58.6% while Narathiwat was the lowest one, 11.39%. Considering by region, children in the middle part of Thailand had the best oral hygiene, the the North region was the second , then North - Easthern and the South, respectively. Caries in preschool children are the most serious problem in all provinces but the national data was better from 2002 to 2004 and also in most regions except the South. Caries-free children were more than 50% only 4 provinces (WHO's arget for the year 2000.) Thus, the integration plan of oral health promotion program into the maternal and child health promotion should be strengthen as well as the evaluation of the program continuously and seriously.