Abstract:
Objectives: To assess the experience of dental caries and practice of oral health preventive measures.
Methods: This was a secondary data study extracted from primary data through a cross-sectional study of a random sample of
two hundred and forty-six 12 years-old Libyan schoolchildren (in 2019). Children underwent clinical examinations for dental
caries experience. Then, they asked to complete a self-administrated questionnaire that designed to evaluate the oral health
practices. The collected data were analysed using SPSS for Windows, version 25. The alpha value was 0.05.
Results: The prevalence of dental caries, for the total sample, was 80.5% and the mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth
index (DMFT) was 2.4 (SD, 1.7). A clear gradient in the DMFT means with statistically significant was observed only across
the categories of frequency of toothbrushing and frequency of sugary foods and drinks consumption in between meals. In addition,
statistical significant was found for using fluoridated toothpaste.
Conclusion: Dental caries in children aged 12 years old was prevalent in this study. The present survey provided an overview
of practice of oral health preventive measures of participants, as the differences in these practices have influenced the
DMFT values and provided knowledge about the disease experience.
