Prevalence of dental caries in Omani 6-year-old children.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of dental caries in Omani 6-year-old children.

DESIGN

Clinical caries cross-sectional survey, conducted by 16 trained and calibrated dentists.

SETTING

Omani primary schools in December 1994.

SUBJECTS

3,114 subjects, randomly selected to achieve an overall 6.6 per cent sample of Omani 6-year-old children.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Caries diagnosis based solely on clinical examination in accordance with criteria of British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry.

RESULTS

Only 484 subjects (15.5 per cent) were caries-free; regional variations ranging from 4.4 per cent to 31 per cent. Overall, the national dmft averaged 4.61; the majority of caries experienced being in the form of untreated decay, with occlusal surfaces of first primary molars being the most commonly involved site.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with results from a survey of Omani 12-year-old children in 1993, a much smaller proportion of this 6-year-old sample were caries free, emphasising the need for continuance of existing, and the development of further, preventive programmes.