Deciduous and permanent dental caries status among primary schoolchildren of Libya: A cross-sectional study

Aim: to assess prevalence and severity of dental caries (DMFT for permanent dentition and dmft for primary dentition) among Libyan children. 
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study including a random sample of 372 children was conducted in Benghazi. Experience of dental caries was assessed by decayed, missing, and filled teeth DMFT and dmft indices using WHO criteria of diagnosing dental caries.  The data were entered and managed by using SPSS software version 25.  Descriptive analysis of the data including frequencies, percentages and means of school-children's decayed, missing and filled components was performed. 
Results: Overall dental caries prevalence was 86.6%.  The mean DMFT and dmft indices were 0.86 and 2.78 for all 372 subjects amongst which major contributor was decayed component.  Considering only subjects with caries experience (322), mean DMFT and dmft indices were 1.00 and 3.21, respectively.  Higher prevalence of dmft scores was observed than DMFT scores in all subjects and in subjects with caries experience.  For all subjects DMFT, the Decay index was 89.5%, Missing index was 3.5% and Care index was 6.7%.  For all subjects dmft, the Decay index was 89.9%, Missing index was 7.9% and Care index was 2.1%.  Conclusions: Caries prevalence was high considering the World Health Organization future oral health goals.  Although the prevalence in the study sample is high, Care index is unacceptably low.  The findings stress on the need to treat the children at the initial stages of caries development with preventive approaches.  Providing and implementing preventive and educational programs for controlling dental caries are necessary.