Oral health in Lebanon: a pilot pathfinder survey

ABSTRACT

A pilot pathfinder survey for oral health was conducted in order to identify the level of caries and periodontal diseases in Lebanon and to produce baseline data, to be followed by a national oral health survey. The study involved 320 students, of whom 158 were 12 years old and 162 were 15 years old. The decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth [DMFT] scores for 12 and 15-year-olds were 5.0 and 7.7, respectively. Ninety-two per cent [92%] of the children aged 12 years and 96% of the children aged 15 years were affected by dental caries. The prevalence of periodontal disease among 15-yearolds was shown to be one of the highest [94.5%] in the Eastern Mediterranean Region