Oral health status of Tibetan and local school children of Kushalnagar, Mysore district, India: A comparative study

Abstract

The presence of migrants culturally different from inhabitants of the host country is now a widespread phenomenon. It is known that dietary habits and oral hygiene practices vary from country to country, which in turn has a profound effect on oral health. Objectives: To assess and compare the oral health status of Tibetan school children and local school children of Kushalnagar (Bylakuppe). Study design: A survey was conducted at Kushalnagar (Bylakuppe), in Mysore district, India to assess the oral health status of Tibetan school children (n = 300) and local school children (n = 300) and compared using World Health Organization oral health proforma (1997). Results: The proportional values are compared using chi-square test and the mean values are compared using Student′s t-test. Statistically significant results were obtained for soft tissue lesions, dental caries, malocclusion, and treatment needs. However, results were not significant when gingivitis was compared in the two populations. Conclusions: Tibetan school children showed higher prevalence of Angular cheilitis, gingival bleeding, dental caries experience, malocclusion, and treatment needs in comparison with non-Tibetans. Among the Tibetan school children, the requirement for two or more surface filling was more.

Keywords

• Migrants
• oral health status
• tibetans