Survey on Dental Caries Experience of Students in Vientiane Province, Laos

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of dental caries among students in the Vientiane area of Laos.
Methods: We conducted an analysis of the oral examination outcomes for a cohort of 344 children in Vientiane, including 121 in primary school, 138 in middle school, and 85 in high school, to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries in this group.
Results: For 12-year-olds, equivalent to the first year of middle school, the index of experienced decay in permanent teeth was 3.30, with a decayed permanent tooth surface index of 6.01. The rate of caries experience in permanent teeth was 86.13%, the decay rate in permanent teeth was 92.09%, the treatment rate for permanent teeth was 1.98%, and the caries fatality rate was determined to be 12.09%.
Conclusion: The prevalence of dental caries experience among most age groups was significantly higher compared to other regions, with a permanent tooth decay rate ranging from approximately 88% to 91%. Notably, the primary tooth decay rate was found to be around 99%, indicating an exceptionally high level. The dental caries fatality rate was also estimated to be in the range of 5% to 12%, underscoring the need for simultaneous preventive measures and treatment programs in Laos to halt the progression of dental caries and reduce the dental caries fatality rate.