Essay On Dental Caries

Dental caries is the most prevalent and common oral diseases that become the worldwide concern. The oral health status had been decreased in the end of century, but the prevalence of dental caries is still being the significant problem with varying prevalence in many countries, particularly in developing countries. World Health Organization recorded that 60-90% children in the world had suffered dental caries (Petersen et al., 2005).

In Thailand, prevalence of dental caries in 12 years old based on recent National Oral Health Survey showed that more than 50% children were affected, while prevalence in 3 years old and 5 years old reached 52.7% and 78.5% respectively (National Oral Health Survey, 2012). The Global Oral Health Goals – WHO in the

School-aged children who in mixed dentition stage (6-9 years old) become the highest risk for increasing dental caries in early permanent dentition during adolescent (Li and Wang, 2002). Study in New Zealand found that prevalence of dental caries was greatest in the first molars at age nine and remained the greatest at all ages (Broadbent et al., 2013). Systemic review stated that occlusal area of first permanent molar during first year eruption have greatest risk of dental caries (Mejare et al., 2014). Decayed and loss of permanent molars in the early age could affect the mastication system, which leads to malnutrition intake and the occlusion of teeth which increases the need of complex treatment such as orthodontic (Willershausen et al., 2004; Sheiham, 2009). Children’s behaviors include habit of consuming daily food, maintaining oral hygiene, peer group activities and interaction with their friends in school could be risk factors of dental caries (Fisher-Owen et al., 2007). Hence, it emphasizes the need of preventive measure in order to prevent dental caries, particularly in first molars, as early as