Effectiveness of a preschool children oral health care program at Kanthararom district Srisaket province.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the caries preventive effect and oral health behavior of preschool children in the oral health care program at Kanthararom district Srisaket province. At the beginning of the program , 225 samples age 1-5 year, 109 in study group and 116 in control group , were examined oral health status and interviewed about oral health care behaviors from their caretakers . The results showed that mean dmfs of the study group was 6.71 and 8.17 in the control group. After one year mean dmfs increased to 9.55 and 12.28 in study and control group, the difference had statistically significant (p=0.03). Caries preventive effect of the program was 38.4 % and 47.1 % among agegroup 1-3 year. There was no statistically significant difference in oral health behaviors. The conclusion was that the program was effective and had more effects among agegroup1-3 year than agegroup 4-5 year.