Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Prevalence of dental caries among elementary school attendees in Iran
Jalaleddin Hamissi1, Hesameddin Hamissi
1Department of Periodontics and Preventive Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. jhamissi@qums.ac.ir
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to find out the dental caries status in six to nine years (6-9 years) old children.
Material & Methods:
A total of 792 children including 396 girls and 396 boys were selected from several schools in Qazvin based on cluster sampling. Name, age, gender, address, and caries status each subject was recorded using a questionnaire. Intra-oral examinations were performed using a mirror and probes under suitable light-rays were not taken to diagnose the caries.
Results:
Of a total of 792 children, 396 (50%) were males and the rest (50%) females. The dmft was 3.83, 3.57, 3.04 and 2.8 for aged six, seven, eight and nine respectively. The frequency of caries was higher in age group of six. The DMFT was 0.31 for each child.
Conclusion:
The present study showed that the frequency of caries was found to be higher than reported is unexpectedly high among the age group investigated in our research. According to the high prevalence obtained in our study, health recommendations on oral hygiene to target population and also parents and teachers should be made.
Related Concept Videos
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health condition at a...
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
