Abstract

TOLEDO REYES, Lilian; RODRIGUEZ PEREZ, Lilian  and  RAMOS HURTADO, Isabel. Risk of dental caries in 3rd grade schoolchildren from “Fernando Cuesta Piloto” elementary school.. Rev Cubana Estomatol [online]. 2007, vol.44, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-297X.

A cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological study was undertaken to determine the risk of dental caries in 64 third-grade children from “Fernando Cuesta Piloto” elementary school located in Santa Clara city, Villa Clara province, in the period from September 2005 to May 2006. For caries risk estimation, a model comprising feasible predictors that may be measured in our dental services was used, thus assuring the detection of disease-related risk factors.  The surveying method based on clinical exam, observation, measurement and individual interviews made data collection possible.  It was stressed that the most significant risk factor was harmful habits, followed by a history of dental caries in the children and their relatives.  It was considered that the use of a predictive model is of vital importance to ensure detection of risk factors associated to the disease and to encourage strategic actions to prevent the onset of caries.

Keywords : dental caries; risk factor; predictive model.