Prevalence of dental caries and the impact of toothpastes and other factors in the oral health of School Children in Kathmandu valley

Present study was carried out among school children of Kathmandu valley to determine the prevalence of dental caries and to know about the influence of other factors including toothpaste on their oral health. Study age group was 5-6 years and 12-13 years. This study also specifies the correlation between dental caries and other associated risk factors among the school children. Furthermore this study evaluates the antimicrobial efficacy of locally used toothpaste against primary and secondary infections causing dental pathogens. The study was conducted from December 2007 to May 2008. Altogether 638 students (325 of age group 12-13 years and 313 of age group 5-6 years) from 30 different schools of Kathmandu valley were included for the study. Stratified cluster sampling with proportional allocation was used while drawing schools samples. Dental status examination was done with the help of trained and well calibrated dentists. DMFT and DMFS were used as standard tools for the determination of prevalence. Semi closed structured questionnaire were applied to know their oral health knowledge, belief, attitudes, perception and to study the influence of underlying factors on oral hygiene only  for 325 students of age group 12-13 years. For isolation and identification of dental pathogens, 39 different samples from 39 patients were collected from Bir Hospital Dental Department and Samaj Dental Clinic and were immediately transported to RLABB, where laboratory work was carried out. They were isolated, identified and subjected to antimicrobial potential test of toothpaste by using standard microbiological methods. Both DMFT, DMFS and caries percentage was found to be higher in age group 5-6 years than 12-13 years. DMFS and caries percentage of age group 5-6 years and 12-13 years was found to be 3.79, 69% and 1.6, 53.23% respectively. But no significance difference at p<0.001 was observed among male and female of both age group. Strong correlation was found in dental caries status and type of schools, diet, and toothpaste using habit. Out of 25 toothpastes used only 7 toothpastes showed observable antimicrobial activity against all 4 test microorganisms viz... Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis, Lactobacilli species and Candida albicans.

     

 Key words: School children, prevalence, Kathmandu valley, dental caries, dental pathogens, toothpaste, antimicrobial potential.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project was carried out jointly by students of Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University (CDM-TU) and Nepal Dental Association (NDA). Thus we are grateful towards all concern faculties and staffs of CDM-TU for their co-operation, guidance and NDA for providing us technical as well as financial support. The laboratory work was carried out in Research Laboratory for Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (RLABB), Maitidevi, Kathmandu, thus we are also thankful towards RLABB family. We are genuinely obliged to our honorable supervisors Prof. Dr. V.P. Agrawal, Associate Prof. Dr. Anjana Singh, Mr. Kiran Babu Tiwari and Mr. Upendra Thapa Shrestha for their valuable suggestions, enthusiastic and encouraging advices. Also we want to extend our gratitude towards Dental Department of Bir Hospital and Samaj Dental Clinic for providing samples.

Noteworthy to this we are greatly indebted to senior statistician Mr. Anil Thapa for his help during statistical analysis and Mr. Surendra Jnawali for his assistance in software development and data entry. Also we want to show our sincere gratitude towards Dr. Sushil Koirala, President Nepal dental association, Dr. Sudin Shakya, co-ordinator Research and Social Service Committee, Joint Secretary Nepal Dental Association and all members of NDA for their constant stimulation and support. We want to express our thankfulness towards Mr. Kul Raj Rai, President, Microbiological Student Association Nepal (MISAN) and all students of CDM-TU for their support and help. Besides this we are gratified to all dentists, enumerators, school family, students and others who have helped us during field work. Furthermore we are also thankful towards our family and friends for their assist, continuous moral support and motivation.

At last we would like to acknowledge all concerned person, institution and organization that helped us during research work directly or indirectly, without their support the successful completion of this project was never possible.