DENTAL-CARIES, FLUORIDE LEVELS AND ORAL HYGIENE PRACTICES OF SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN MATEBELELAND SOUTH, ZIMBABWE

1386, 5-6-yr-old and 1326, 12-yr-old schoolchildren in the mainly rura l province of Matabeleland South, in Zimbabwe, were examined for denta l caries and interviewed about their oral hygiene practices. Fluoride contents of the drinking water source of the schools were determined a nd were found to be in the range 0.05-2.5 ppm. Among 5-6-yr-old childr en, 25.2% were affected with caries and the mean drift score was 0.6 w hereas 19.8% of the 12-yr-old children had caries, and the mean DMFT s core was 0.3. In both age groups low fluoride levels in drinking water (<0.8 ppm) were associated with higher prevalence of caries (5-6-yr-o lds: OR 2.47; 12-yr-olds: OR 2.09). Chewing sticks were the most commo nly applied oral hygiene practice. Children who reported using chewing sticks had fewer carious lesions than children who reported the use o f toothbrush and toothpaste.