RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The overall purpose of the Buddhi Bangara Project (BBP) is to investigate if oral health promotion (OHP) will be a realistic way to improve the oral hygiene and dental awareness of Nepalese schoolchildren aged 5-12 years. This study is the first aspect of the overall project. Dental hygiene students from Kantipur School of Dentistry, Kathmandu and the Dental Hygiene Programme at the INHOLLAND University in Amsterdam were actively involved in this assessment phase as well as the implementation phase which included oral health education activities. This descriptive study is the first phase of a larger longitudinal study directed towards improving the oral health of children in Nepal. METHODS: The first phase involves the assessment of children in several schools, one of which acts as a control group. It is directed toward the baseline data collected prior to the implementation of the OHP initiatives. Qualitative data on knowledge about oral health was collected through observations and a questionnaire. The World Health Organization community index of treatment needs was used to assess the clinical status of the participants. RESULTS: The data show that knowledge about preventing oral diseases is high, but awareness about the benefits of fluoride is low. It also suggests that the oral health of the examined children is affecting their quality of life in several different ways. The social status of participants appears to influence their dietary intake as well as their choice of professionals to visit when experiencing pain. CONCLUSION: It appears that children in Nepal have oral health problems and oral health does appear to influence their quality of life. The impact of the OHP activities have yet to be determined.