National survey of the oral health of 12- and 15-year-old schoolchildren in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This paper describes the first national survey of oral health in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using WHO criteria, dental caries and fluorosis were recorded in 2651 schoolchildren aged 12 and 15 years, and periodontal disease in those aged 15 years. The prevalence of dental caries in the permanent teeth of 12-year-olds was 54%; the mean DMFT (number of decayed, missing or filled permanent teeth) per child was 1.6. The prevalence of dental caries in 15-year-olds was 65% and the mean DMFT was 2.5. For the UAE as a whole, 70% of 12-year-old schoolchildren had no dental fluorosis and 37% of 15-year-olds had healthy periodontal tissues.