[Increasing decayed, missing and filled teeth index among school children in Loja, Spain]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index is a critical measure of dental caries prevalence in populations.
• Understanding predictors of DMFT is essential for developing targeted public health interventions.
• Previous research has explored various factors influencing DMFT, but longitudinal data in specific regions remain valuable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify clinical, socioeconomic, dietary, and hygienic predictors of the increasing Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index.
• To analyze these predictors in a cohort of school children in Loja, Granada, Spain.
• To track changes in the DMFT index over a three-year period (1994-1997).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study design was employed.
• 812 students were included in the analysis.
• The World Health Organization's recommended methods were used to measure the DMFT index, with logistic regression models for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• The overall DMFT index increased from 1.86 to 4.5 during the study period.
• For twelve-year-olds, the DMFT index rose from 3.71 to 4.47.
• DMFT levels at the mid-period were significantly associated with an increase in the final DMFT index.

Conclusions:

• The DMFT index at the mid-period was identified as a significant risk factor for increased final DMFT.
• Attending school number 3 was found to be a protective factor against DMFT increase.
• These findings highlight the importance of early DMFT assessment and school-based health initiatives.