Oral Health Status among Children and Adolescents of Slums of Karachi, Pakistan: A Multicenter Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: In many developing nations, particularly low-income ones, dental issues’ national/regional incidence is unknown. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 16 not-for-profit primary health-care clinics among children and adolescents aged 7–18. The information was collected through the Google Form, and inferences were drawn and analyzed through SPSS version 17. Results: Most of our participants were females (60%); 41% were those who maintained their hygiene practices. Sugar intake was high in 75% of subjects. Forty-five percent of research participants take sugar in sweets, toffee, chocolate, sweet pan with beetle nuts, soft drinks, and tetra-pack juices five times a day. Fifty-three percent of dental care problems are shown among the screened population. Conclusion: The present study shows dental caries are more prevalent among children and adolescents in slums compared to adults. A school-based dental health educational approach must be implemented to combat it proactively.

Keywords

• dental caries; low-socioeconomic status; oral hygiene; parents’ knowledge