Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Students Aged 12 Years and 18 Years in Bangkok Metropolis: A Comparative Study in the Year 1991 and 2000

Abstract

Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Students Aged 12 Years and 18 Years in Bangkok Metropolis: A Comparative Study in the Year 1991 and 2000

Ahpa   Sansaneeyavanich     DDS, MPH, MPA

Dental Health Division, Health Department

Objective: To compare the oral health status and treatment needs of students aged 12 years and 18 years from the surveys conducted in Bangkok Metropolis in the year 1991 and 2000.

Study design: Survey research.

Subjects: Using stratified multistage cluster sampling, in the year 1991  and 2000, surveys were undertaken in number of 352 and 306 students aged 12 years and of 341 and 380 students aged 18 years respectively.

Methods: The data collection of dental health status, periodontal status and treatment needs in both groups were conducted during July to November 1991 and in June to July 2000.

Main outcome measures: Oral health status was defined as decayed missing filling tooth (DMFT) which was described in teeth-person.  Periodontal health status was described in percentage and sextant.  Treatment needs were one surface filling, extraction, scaling and root canal treatment.

Results: DMFT in student 12 years of age was 4.3 teeth/person in 1991 and 1.9 teeth/person in 2000 which declined 54.9%, 18 years of age was 6.5 teeth/person in 1991 and 4.2 teeth/person in 2000 which declined 35.3%.  Statistically with t-test was significant at p-value