June 2010

Objective: To describe the prevalence and intra-oral pattern of caries among young children in Ajman, UAE. Methods: A one-stage cluster sampling was used to randomly select children aged 5 or 6 years old who were enrolled in public or private schools in Ajman. Clinical examinations for dental caries were conducted by a single examiner using WHO criteria. Results: The total number of children sampled was 1297, of whom 1036 (79.9%) were dentally examined. The prevalence of caries (defined as dmft >0) in 5- and 6-year-olds was 72.9% (95% CI, 61.8, 83.9) and 80.0% (95% CI, 76.0, 84.4) respectively, with mean dmft scores of 4.0 (sd, 4.1) and 4.9 (sd, 4.3) respectively (P<0.05). The teeth most frequently affected by caries were mandibular second molars (38.6% of those on the left, and 36.9% of those on the right) and the least affected were mandibular central incisors (2.1% and 2.0% respectively). The prevalence of bilateral molar caries (that is, contralateral teeth both affected) was relatively high, being 29.7% for mandibular second molars and 28.3% for mandibular first molars. Conclusions: Dental caries prevalence and severity in 5- and 6-year-olds in Ajman were high, with the lower molars and upper central incisors most commonly affected by caries. There is an urgent need for oral health programs targeted at the treatment and prevention of dental caries in these children. Key words: Caries, children, intra-oral pattern, prevalence, U.A.E.