Caries Prevalence and Severity in 12 and 15-Year-Old Latvian Children in 2023

Description

Aims: To assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries among Latvia's 12- and 15-year-old children, using a national representative sample to provide epidemiological data to inform and enhance national oral health policies.
Methods: This cross-sectional, nationally representative study of 12 – 15-year-old Latvian children took place between September 2022 and May 2023. It involved multi-stage cluster sampling of 1600 pupils each from sixth and ninth grades in general education schools, excluding special needs institutions. Ten calibrated dentists (kappa 0.674-0.799 for enamel caries scores) conducted dental examinations, employing merged ICDAS criteria. In addition, demographic information such as gender, age, and residential location (city/region) was registered. The primary outcomes were the prevalence and severity of dental caries. Data analysed using R programming language. Descriptive statistics were employed to provide a basic understanding of the data. Generalised regression models were used to understand regional differences, adjusted for gender to ensure valid comparisons. Ethics approval for the study was given by Riga Stradins University’s Research Ethics Committee.
Results: The study included 3,129 children, with 1,557 aged 12 and 1,572 aged 15, comprising 1,506 females (48%) and 1,623 males (52%). The response rate was 60%. The overall caries prevalence was 89.7% (D1MFT), 74.9% (D3MFT), and 66.0% (D5MFT). Prevalence was higher in 15-year-olds (93.3% D1MFT, 83.5% D3MFT, 76.3% D5MFT) than 12-year-olds (86.1% D1MFT, 66.3% D3MFT, 55.6% D5MFT). Latgale and Zemgale regions had the highest prevalence (94.6% and 94.8% D1MFT) and severity (9.8 and 9.2 D1MFT), differing significantly from Rīga (p<0.001). Children living outside Riga and the region around the capital had significantly higher caries severity (p<0.001).
Conclusions: In the population studied the high prevalence and severity of dental caries is concerning. These results highlight Latvia's pressing need for improved oral health policies and interventions, especially in regions outside the capital.

Period	14 Sept 2023 → 16 Sept 2023
Event title	27th Congress of the European Association of Dental Public Health: Sustainability in Dentistry - a multifaceted approach
Event type	Congress
Conference number	27
Organiser	Rīga Stradiņš University
Location	Riga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International