Goals for oral health in Tunisia 2020

In 1981, the World Health Organization [WHO] together with the F‚d‚ration Dentaire Internationale [FDI] set global dental health goals for the year 2000 within the global strategy of health for all. In 1999, a team of experts drew up new goals to be achieved by 2020, which aimed to facilitate specific oral health policy development for each country. These goals are more general and have to be adapted to local circumstances. This paper aimed to adapt the WHO/FDI/IADR's Global goals for oral health 2020 to Tunisia and draw up new national goals and targets for Tunisia based on previous national oral health surveys

Effect of 5 years of dental studies on the oral health of Tunisian dental students

This study is a follow- up of one made in 1998- 99 on first- year dental students in Monastir. Now in their fifth year, we assessed the effect of dental studies on students' oral health practices and dental health. Of the 155 students in the first study, 140 were still enrolled. Periodontal troubles, malocclusion and dental decay affected 84.3%, 80.0% and 43.0% of the students respectively. Compared with the previous study, students had achieved a better dental health status - tooth-brushing rate was much higher, prevalence of dental decay and periodontal pockets had decreased, and DMF index had improved. However, the prevalence of smoking, bleeding and calculus had not changed, and the frequency of malocclusion had increased

Enquete sur l'etat bucco-dentaire des enfants prescolarises a Montastir (Tunisie 2001)

Elabore en collaboration avec le Croissant Rouge; notre travail vise a etudier les affections bucco-dentaires en denture temporaire et a promouvoir la prevention par une enquete epidemiologique menee en milieu prescolaire a Monastir (Tunisie) aupres de 1991 enfants ages de 3 a 5 ans (1029 garcons et 962 filles). Les resultats revelent que 62d'entre eux possedent une brosse a dents ; cependant 50ont une hygiene insuffisante et la carie dentaire constitue chez eux l'affection la plus frequente avec un taux de 36. La malocclusion touche 31d'entre eux. Ces prevalences s'aggravent en denture permanente comme l'a montre la derniere enquete nationale en milieu scolaire. Ceci demontre l'importance de la prevention bucco-dentaire en denture temporaire chez des enfants qui constituent; par leur receptivite; une cible privilegiee

[Profile of first year dental students in Tunisia]

The aim of this study was to assess social conditions, school history, professional choices and oral health status of first-year dental students 1998/1999. We included 155 Tunisian students, 18-22 years old. There was a higher proportion of female students [58%] whose average age [18.9 years] was younger than the males. We found that 79% came from urban environments and 41% from middle socioeconomic background. Also 48% had parents who had a high level of education. Dental studies were the first choice for 50% of the students and they were looking for prestige and security. Concerning oral heath status, 88% of the students had periodontal problems and 70% had caries. More information for students about the options available to them at university and greater efforts from teachers to motivate students in oral hygiene are needed