Oral Health Status, Behaviour and Treatment Needs Among 2–5-year-old Children in Selected Nursery Schools in Maiduguri, Borno State. Oral health status of preschool children in Maiduguri.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the oral health status, behaviour and treatment needs among 2 to 5-year-old children in selected nursery schools in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of two hundred and thirty-nine children aged 2-5 years old and selected by simple random sampling from three private nursery schools. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on children’s oral health behaviour and practices from their parents. A modified WHO assessment form was used to assess oral health status and treatment needs. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-square were used for data analysis on SPSS 23.0 at P<0.05.

Results: The sample exhibited a male-to-female ratio of 1.2:1, an age range of 2-5 years, modal age of 5 years, 57.0% (n = 136). The prevalence of early childhood caries was 20.1% (n = 48), standard error (SE) = 0.03, mild to moderate gingivitis was 36.8% (n = 88), SE = 0.04, anterior tooth fractures was 2.1% (n = 5), SE = 0.01; hypoplastic teeth was 4.2% (n = 10), SE = 0.01; tooth wear lesions in 6.3% (n = 15); and malocclusion in 4.5% (n = 11), SE = 0.04. The mean DMFT score was 0.72 and the significant caries (SiC) index was 5.6. Most of the participants (53.6%, n = 128, SE = 0.123) consumed sugary diets, 78.2% (n = 187) had never visited a dentist and 29.3% (n = 70) of the participants required restorative dental treatment (SE = 0.10).

Conclusion: The burden of early childhood caries and the prevalence of gingivitis were considerable in this study. Oral health behaviour was poor and might have had an impact on their unmet treatment needs. Oral health promotion should be targeted at the caregivers of this vulnerable population to ensure improvement in their oral health behaviour and ultimately translate to better oral health status.