Dental caries in primary school pupils in the Republic of Macedonia

Dental caries is a localized post-eruptional pathological process that causes destruction of the hard dental tissues. It is a multi-causal disease, resulting from an interaction of several factors in the oral medium, such as the existence of a receptive host, cariogenous microorganisms and appropriate substrate, present in a certain timeframe. Taking care of children's health is a priority in every society. In the Republic of Macedonia, taking care of children's health is conducted through applying prevention programmes and a programme of systematic check-ups. The aim of this survey was to determine the presence of dental caries in primary school pupils in the Republic of Macedonia covered by the annual systematic check-ups between the school years 2001/2002 and 2005/2006. In order to fulfil this aim, the survey covered approximately 520,000 pupils from first, third, fifth and seventh grades, and it analysed the following parameters: body posture, body nutrition, spine and chest deformities, feet deformities, sight and vision problems and motility, and the presence of dental caries. The results analysis shows that of all pathological conditions in primary school pupils in the Republic of Macedonia, the largest percentage (41.6%) falls to dental caries, then feet deformities (23.6%) and spine and chest deformities (21.4%). 17.6% of the children have incorrect body posture, 8.9% are suffering from malnutrition, and 5.3% are diagnosed with sight and vision and motility problems. In our survey, dental caries was more common in male pupils (57.3%) than in female pupils (42.7%).