Medical Science
Volume 24, Issue 102, March - April, 2020
Oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and dental caries experience among primary children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A crosssectional study
Bahija Basheer, Saleh Aloufi1,2,3, Azzam Almeshrafi1, Nawaf Alkubedan1, Khaled Aldalaan1♦, Abdulelah Alobathani1, Abdulmalek Alhamed1, Faisal Alsaif1, Nawaf Alshahrani1, Raed Alshehri1
1College of Dentistry, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3Ministry of National Guard- Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
♦Corresponding author
Khaled Abdullah S Aldalaan,
College of Dentistry, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Email: Khaledaldalaan@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: Dental caries is a preventable disease; however, public health efforts are hampered due to limited information
on associated factors in vulnerable populations. Our study aimed at estimating and assessing dental caries prevalence and
experience and identifying key risk factors in association with oral health practices and dietary habits among primary school children
living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: 355 male and female Saudi primary school children aged 6–9 years participated in this crosssectional
study. The study was conducted using a 31-item self-administered questionnaire followed by oral examination to assess
the caries experience. SPSS software version 22 was used for data analysis. Results: The severity of caries prevalence was different
depending on the type of teeth whether deciduous or permanent. For deciduous teeth 52.1% had caries, while permanent teeth had
82.5%. All in all, the DMFT score was 1.19±1.43 and the def was 3.74±1.43. Multiple individual factors were significant particularly
when are compared to caries seen in deciduous teeth. Conclusion: Dental caries were more prevalent in primary school children, and
individual factors were predominantly associated with the disease.
Keywords: Dental caries, Primary school children, Prevalence, Diet, oral hygiene practices
Medical Science, 2020, 24(102), 960-967
