Prevalence of Dental Disease in 5 -14-Year-Old School Children in Rural Areas of Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra

Background: This initiative is a consequence of the absence of any information on any study being conducted in the past on the prevalence of dental diseases in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. Oral health an essential component of health throughout life. Hardly any information is available on the oral health status of children. Thus, the study was conducted among 5-year-old and 14-year-old children in schools in rural areas of Ahmednagar District. Aims: To assess the prevalence of gingivitis, fluorosis, malocclusion, and dental caries in school-going children with different age groups and genders in rural areas of district Ahmednagar. Materials and methods: A total of 800 school-going children comprising 400 boys and 400 girls were examined. A total of 300 children were in the age group of 5–7 years. A total of 294 and 206 children were in the age groups of 8–10 and 11–14 years, respectively. Statistical Analysis: A chi-square test was used for deriving results. Results: The prevalence of gingivitis, fluorosis, and malocclusion was 40.7%, 81.8%, and 100.0 %, respectively in males and 59.3%, 18.2%and 0.0% seen in females. The difference in dental caries was equally significant in both boys and girls.