Berndt Ch, Meller Ch, Poppe D, Splieth Ch H
Department of Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany.
Oral Health Prev Dent. 2010;8(3):269-75.
The aim of the present study was to analyse caries prevalence and fluorosis as well as oral hygiene habits in schoolchildren in north Namibia.
In 2004, 120 pupils (1st to 8th grade, mean age: 12.3 ± 2.8 years) of the Ombili Primary School were examined by one calibrated clinician for caries (DMFT) according to the World Health Organization criteria, oral hygiene (API) and fluorosis (Dean’s index), categorised according to the four different farms where they lived. In addition, samples of drinking water were obtained from the wells of the farms and analysed for quality and mineral content.
The pupils at the different farms showed very different caries prevalence (range: 17% to 50% caries-free children) and mean DMFT values (0.96 to 2.67). Oral hygiene measures were not common (60.8% none) or inefficient (mean proximal plaque index: 89.5%) and did not differ greatly between the different farms. The fluoride concentration in drinking water varied considerably (0.28 to 1.06 mg/l). The prevalence of dental fluorosis in all schoolchildren was 65.8%, the Community Fluorosis Index (CFI) was 1.41 and it differed clearly for pupils from the four farms (CFI: 0.5 to 1.65). The DMFT index showed a statistically significant correlation with the fluoride concentration of the drinking water (P < 0.05).
Based on these results, fluoride concentration in drinking water should be monitored in the future. In parallel, a caries-preventive programme should be developed, as high concentrations of fluoride in drinking water alone do not result in acceptable caries levels.
本研究旨在分析纳米比亚北部学童的龋齿患病率、氟牙症以及口腔卫生习惯。
2004年，由一名经过校准的临床医生按照世界卫生组织标准，对奥姆比利小学的120名学生（1至8年级，平均年龄：12.3±2.8岁）进行龋齿（DMFT）、口腔卫生（API）和氟牙症（迪恩指数）检查，并根据他们居住的四个不同农场进行分类。此外，从农场的水井中采集饮用水样本，分析其质量和矿物质含量。
不同农场的学生龋齿患病率差异很大（无龋儿童比例范围：17%至50%），平均DMFT值也不同（0.96至2.67）。口腔卫生措施并不普遍（60.8%的学生未采取措施）或效果不佳（平均邻面菌斑指数：89.5%），不同农场之间差异不大。饮用水中的氟化物浓度差异很大（0.28至1.06毫克/升）。所有学童的氟牙症患病率为65.8%，社区氟牙症指数（CFI）为1.41，四个农场的学生差异明显（CFI：0.5至1.65）。DMFT指数与饮用水中的氟化物浓度呈统计学显著相关性（P<0.05）。
基于这些结果，未来应监测饮用水中的氟化物浓度。同时，应制定龋齿预防计划，因为仅饮用水中高浓度的氟化物并不能带来可接受的龋齿水平。
