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ABSTRACT
Aim: To determine the oral health status of 35-44 and 65-74 year old adult population of Bairawa, Saptari Nepal using the WHO Oral Health Assessment Form 1997.
Materials and method: The study was conducted among 642 subjects aged 35-44 and 65-74 years. Demographic information was collected by interview. Clinical examination was done to assess the periodontal condition and dental caries status of the population.
Results: The prevalence of dental caries was 83%. The mean DMFT was 2.60 among 35-44 year olds and 25.45 among 65-74 year olds. The mean number of sextants with bleeding and higher score was more among 35-44 year age group compared to 65-74 year age group. Females were found to have a higher mean number of healthy sextants compared to males. All six sextants were excluded in 97 (15.11%) subjects and healthy periodontium was seen in 36 (6.6%) subjects.
Conclusion: The oral health status of the population was poor with a high prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease. This study provides a baseline data which can be used by the authorities for planning strategies for oral health promotion, prevention and treatment especially in case of Nepal where the available data are very scanty.
Keywords: Oral Health, Adults, Rural Population
INTRODUCTION
Oro-dental diseases are among the most widespread diseases around the globe^Although not an important cause of mortality; these may sometimes have serious repercussions upon the general health of people suffering from such diseases. Morbidities arising out of it may be sometimes disabling. Dental caries and periodontal disease determine the level of oral health status of a person. They are so common that essentially every adult in the world has one or the other or both. Therefore these two diseases can be a real public health problem. Concerned with the urgent need for action in promoting oral health, prevention of dental caries, periodontal diseases and to give impetus to activities to promote oral health, World Health Organization had dedicated World Health Day of 1994 to oral health.2 A number of point prevalence studies on dental caries and periodontal diseases have been conducted in developing countries and the fact that emerges from these studies is that dental caries has been increasing both in prevalence and severity over the last...