An Evaluation of School Oral Health Caries Prevention and Control Program for 5 And 12-Year-Old Children in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness and impact of school oral health caries preventive and control program in 5- and 12-year-old children in Benin City.

Methods: This was an interventional study carried out in public and private primary and secondary schools in the Benin Metropolis, Edo State among 5 and 12-year-old children attending selected schools. Age-appropriate oral health education and oral hygiene tools were given every three months and participants followed up. Data was collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire which generated information on the participant’s sociodemographic background (age, gender and socioeconomic status), oral examination was done, oral hygiene assessed using the Simplified Oral hygiene index (S-OHI). Caries risk was assessed using the Association for Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) assessment form for 0-5-year-olds and >6 years to categorize participants into low, moderate and high risk for dental caries. This was done at baseline, 3 months and 6 months post intervention.

Results: A total of 226 children were recruited for the study, with 103 (45.6%) 5-year-olds and 123 (54.4%) 12-year-olds, all four Local Government Areas within the Benin metropolis were represented Egor (38.1%), Ikpoba-Okha (13.7%), Oredo (36.7%), Ovia North East (11.5%), while the public-school participants made up 54% of the study participants and 46% were private school participants. Prevalence of dental caries was 5.97% among 5-year-old and 5.29% among 12-year-old children. Mean oral hygiene scores differed slightly between baseline and 3 months post intervention assessment but was not statistically significant (P=0.834) however, there was a positive difference between baseline mean score and 6 months post intervention assessment as well as the difference between the 3 months and 6 months post intervention period mean scores were statistically significant (P<0.001) respectively. The oral hygiene status of participants at baseline was good (27.0%), fair (55.8%), and poor oral hygiene (17.3%) by the 3- and 6-months post intervention assessment the oral hygiene was good (40.7% and 58%); fair (52.2% and 42.0%) while poor was (7.1% and 0%) respectively.  Caries risk assessment at baseline and 6 month post intervention assessment was low risk for caries (27% and 58%), moderate risk (55.8% and 42.0%) and high risk (17.3% and 0%) respectively.

Conclusion: The school oral health caries prevention and control program was very effective and had a positive impact on the oral health and caries risk of 5- and 12-year-old children in Benin City.