Oral Health Status among 9 Years Old School Children in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq

Background : Although they are not life threatening, dental caries and periodontal disease are the most predominant and widely spread oral diseases throughout the world. Another most common dental problem seen in children is dental trauma. The aims of the study included the investigation of the prevalence and severity of dental caries, gingivitis and dental plaque in relation to gender, furthermore, the prevalence and severity of the traumatized anterior teeth were assessed. Materials and Methods : This oral health survey was conducted among primary school children aged 9 years old in AlDiwaniyah city in Iraq. The total sample composed of 600 child (320 males and 280 females) selected randomly from different school in Al-Diwaniyah city. Diagnosis of dental caries was according to the criteria described by WHO (1987). Plaque index of Silness and Loe (1964) was used for plaque assessment, gingival index of Loe and Silness (1963) was followed for recording gingival health condition. Diagnosis and recording of traumatic dental injuries was according to Garcia-Godoy's classification (1981). Results : Results showed that the prevalence of dental caries was 85% for 9 year-old school children. Regarding primary and permanent dentition, dental caries was higher among females compared to males with statistically significant difference (P