Dental Caries Experience in 13-19-year-old Iranian Students Expressed by DMFT and Significant Caries Index

Statement of the Problems: Assessment of tooth caries rate, especially in high-risk portion of the society, is important in order to plan appropriate preventive protocols. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine dental caries prevalence in 13‒19-year-old Iranian students using two different caries indicators, including DMFT and SiC index. Materials and Methods: A total of 398 students, including 196 boys and 202 girls, participated in the present study; the subjects were selected through stratified cluster sampling method. For each student, decayed (D), missing (M), and filled teeth were detected and DMFT was calculated. After calculating DMFT, the participants were sorted according to their DMFT values. The mean DMFT of one-third of the participants with the highest DMFT values was considered SiC (Significant Caries) index. Independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analysis data with SPSS 13. Results: Mean DMFT values and SiC indexes of all the participants were 3.35±2.22 and 6.62±1.92, respectively. Mean DMFT values in relation to age were as follows: 13-16-year olds: 3.04±2.49; 16‒19-year-olds: 3.66±2.95. The mean DMFT was 3.56±2.58 for boys and 3.15±2.63 for girls. According to the sex, SiC index was 6.11±1.98 for girls and 7.11±1.73 for boys; however, Sic index of 13‒16- and 16‒19-year-old students were 5.88±1.78 and 7.32±1.81, respectively. Conclusion: Age, fluoride therapy, tooth brushing, parents’ education and number of children may influence the prevalence of dental caries among 13‒19-year-old students.