Correlation Between Oral Hygiene Practices and Caries Index in Underprivileged Children

Abstract

Background: Dental caries remains one of the most common chronic childhood oral diseases and disproportionately affects children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities where access to preventive care and oral health education is limited. Objective: To determine the caries burden among school-going children from underserved communities in Lahore, Pakistan, and to evaluate the association of brushing frequency, fluoridated toothpaste use, and parental supervision with dental caries experience. Methods: This retrospective analytical cross-sectional study included 270 children aged 5–15 years screened in community-based outreach camps. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and clinical oral examination. Caries status was assessed using DMFT and deft indices, and oral hygiene was evaluated using plaque, gingival, and calculus indices. Descriptive statistics were computed, while group comparisons were performed using independent-samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis in SPSS version 26, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The mean DMFT was 2.85 ± 1.70 and the mean deft was 3.12 ± 1.90, indicating moderate caries burden. Children who brushed twice daily had lower mean DMFT scores (2.34 ± 1.30) than those brushing once daily (3.12 ± 1.80) or irregularly (3.68 ± 1.90) (F = 4.36, p = 0.014). Supervised brushing was associated with lower mean DMFT than unsupervised brushing (2.41 ± 1.40 vs 3.18 ± 1.80; t = 2.97, p = 0.003). Plaque index showed a strong positive correlation with DMFT (r = 0.78, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Poorer oral hygiene practices, especially reduced brushing frequency and lack of parental supervision, were associated with higher dental caries burden in underprivileged children. Preventive strategies integrating school-based oral health promotion and caregiver engagement may help reduce caries in underserved populations.