Factores asociados con la prevalencia de caries dental en escolares del Colegio Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento de Girón

Abstract

Introduction: Dental caries is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, with a prevalence of 93.06% in the northeastern region of Colombia. It is considered a multifactorial disease, with oral hygiene, diet, and sociodemographic factors being fundamental to understanding its development. Objectives: To establish the presence and severity of dental caries and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, and oral hygiene in students from the Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento School in Girón. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 88 students aged 7 to 12 years old. Caries was evaluated through a clinical examination using ICCMS and COP/coe criteria. Oral hygiene, frequency of food intake, and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed through a questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA software and established a significance level of 0.05. Results: All of the population presented dental caries at any level of severity, with severe caries being the most common, with a prevalence of 55.7%. It was found that 75% of the evaluated children were in a very vulnerable condition; however, no association was found with the severity of caries. 84.1% of the evaluated students are affiliated with health services, but 84.1% of them showed poor oral hygiene. Conclusions: This research found high rates of dental caries and a high prevalence and severity of the disease. 75% of the evaluated children were in a very vulnerable condition to develop dental caries. Additionally, the study revealed that the majority of the evaluated students had poor oral hygiene. Gender does not appear to be a risk factor for dental caries, but age does influence the severity of the lesions.