Prevalence and clinical risk factors of dental caries in Syrian children: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate dental caries’ prevalence and potential risk factors among schoolchildren aged 8–12 in Damascus, Syria. The study was cross-sectional and conducted between February 2023 and April 2024, the target population was 1,052 children selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Dental caries were determined using the DMFT/dmft index, while additional information on sociodemographic status, and attitude towards oral hygiene practices, were collected via a structured questionnaire. Data analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The overall prevalence of dental caries was 90.8%. Males had a slightly higher prevalence (91.9%) than girls (89.8%). Children aged [10–12] years showed the highest caries prevalence (91.7%). The mean DMFT/dmft score was 2.07 ± 1.91/3.74 ± 2.25, respectively. Caries prevalence was significantly associated with the type of school attended, family size, socioeconomic status, and parental education. Additionally, the frequency of tooth brushing, dental flossing, and irregular dental visits were significantly linked to higher caries incidence. It was found that caries experience remains high in the children in Damascus, with many associated factors including their sociodemographic factors and oral behaviors. We confirm that visiting the dentist regularly, using dental floss, and brushing regularly decreased the prevalence of dental caries among children.