"Ser Criança"

: caries prevalence in children from North of Portugal

Abstract

Introduction to oral health plays a fundamental role in general health and the maintenance of oral hygiene, preventing the onset of various pathologies. Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic disease and is common in children worldwide and affects people of all ages at all stages of life. Untreated carious lesions can cause difficulty in eating and sleeping and are one of the main causes of absenteeism from school and work. This study included children aged 3 to 11 enrolled in the 2022/2023 school year. Seventy-five children were included in this research which has been conducted since 2022. Children underwent an oral clinical examination using the DMFT/dmft and PUFA indices. Demographic data were also collected. The results showed that most families live in villages, the parents of the children are mostly married, the literacy qualification tends to be between 7-9 years or 10-12 years for men and 10-12 years for women; most parents are working, among other characteristics. The DMFT had an average of 0.078 and the PUFA had an average of 0.28. The children's BMI presented normal values. In this area, there were significant improvements. It is concluded that the prevalence of caries is low in the studied population, as well as pulpal changes.

Date of Award	22 Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Nélio Jorge Veiga (Supervisor) & Anna Moura (Co-Supervisor)