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Dental decay on the rise among kids in UAE

ABU DHABI — As many as 83 per cent of school going children, aged five, in the UAE, are suffering from dental decay; and of them, 52 per cent have caries in four or more teeth, a health survey has revealed.

The first national survey of children's oral health in the UAE was conducted by the Preventive Dentistry Section, Department of Dental Services, Ministry of Health. The survey indicates that there is a high incidence of dental caries among young children here and that most of the decayed teeth are left untreated.

However, interestingly, the prevalence and severity of dental caries among 12 and 15-year-olds is marked as low.

A total of 3,991 children were examined of whom 1,340 were five-year-old, 1,323 were 12-year-old and 1,328 were 15-year-old. The figures represent about five per cent of children in the three age groups. The number of decayed, lost or filled primary teeth per child for the whole of UAE was 5.1 per cent. While there was some variation in the figures between medical districts, there was little difference between boys and girls, and between nationals and non-nationals.

The prevalence of dental caries in the permanent teeth of 12-year-olds for the whole of UAE was 54 per cent, and the number of decayed, lost or filled primary teeth per child was 1.6 per cent. The western region recorded the highest number of caries at 3.7 per cent. Overall, in the UAE, 37 per cent of 15-year-olds have healthy periodontal tissues, 15 per cent have bleeding gums while 39 per cent suffer from dental calculus.

Dr Ibrahim Arab, Director of Dental Department, noted that the data analysis of the survey will help develop a comprehensive information system for oral health status and care, formulation of national goals and strategies for oral health services. The survey will also help in development of programmes for health promotion, health education and prevention of disease as well as systematic curative care and rehabilitation to create supportive care for already existing dental disease.

The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, is planning to implement a primary preventive programme for children, with emphasis on self-care and regular tooth-brushing with fluoride toothpaste.

Oral-B will support the programme by making available bilingual parental and children education portfolio built from years of research and experience in oral hygiene in Oral-B laboratories.