Oral health status and oral health behaviour of urban and rural schoolchildren in Southern Thailand

Aim: io describe the level of oral disease in urban and rural schoolchildre n in Southern Thailand; to analyse self-care practices and dental visiting habits of 12-year-olds: and to assess the effect of socio-behavioural facto rs on dental caries experience. Design: A cross sectional study of 6- and 1 2-year-old children, urban and rural schools chosen at random from 19 distr icts of one province. Setting: Suratthani Province, Southern Thailand. Part icipants: A total of 1,156 children of grade 1 (6 yrs) and 1,116 children o f grade 6 (12yrs). Methods: Clinical recordings of dental caries and period ontal CPI scores 0, 1 or 2 according to WHO; structured interviews of 12-ye ar-olds (n = 1,084) concerning oral health behaviour and attitudes. Results : At age 6, 96.3% of children had caries and mean dmft was 8.1. In 12-year- olds, 70% had caries in permanent teeth and the level of DMFT was 2.4, Expe rience of pain during the previous 12 months was reported by 53% of 12-year -olds, 66% saw a dentist within the previous year and 24% reported that vis its were due to troubles in teeth. Toothbrushing at least once a day was cl aimed by 88%. Significant numbers of the children reported having hidden su gar every day: soft drinks (24%), milk with sugar (34%), and tea with sugar (26%), Important predictors of high caries experience were dental visits, consumption of sweets, ethnic group (Muslim) and sex (girls) whereas lower risk was observed in children with positive oral health attitudes. Conclusi ons: Systematic health education may further improve the oral health of Tha i children and the primary school provides a unique setting for such progra mmes.