Determining the frequency of regular dental visits and its association with the current oral status of children

To determine the frequency of regular dental visits, the oral health status of school children, and to assess the awareness of parents regarding these visits.

The cross-sectional study was conducted from January to October 2023 at a private school in Karachi after approval form the ethics review board of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, and comprised children aged 6-12 years from grades 1-6. Data was collected from the parents of the enrolled children using a pilot-tested structured questionnaire. This was followed by oral examination of the children. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.

Of the 345 subjects with mean age 9.5±1.49 years, 197(57.1%) were boys and 148(42.9%) were girls. Among the parents, 146(42.3%) had at least three children. Overall, 145(42%) children had never visited a dental clinic. Among the 200(58%) who had visited a dentist, Regular visits were reported by 21(10.5%). Among the parents, 205(59.4%) were aware of the importance of regular dental visits. Caries were found in 158(45.8%) children, while the mean plaque score was 0.74±0.93. The incidence of caries and presence of plaque were significantly lower among children who had been visiting dentists regularly (p<0.05). A significant association was seen between regular dental visits and children with only one sibling (p=0.004).

The frequency of regular dental visits was found to be low. The high prevalence of caries emphasised the importance of regular dental visits.