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Screening the Periodontal Health Status and Oral Hygiene Practice in Preschool and Primary School Children

The aim of this study was to evaluate the periodontal health status and oral hygiene practices among 4-12 year old children.Materials and Methods: A total of 300 children aged from 4-12 years old, 144 males & 156 females constituted the study population. The study was conducted at dental clinic of Pedodontic & preventive department at al Rafidain College of dentistry, Baghdad/Iraq. Periodontal health status of the sample was examined using plaque and gingival indices and oral hygiene practice-related information was gathered by direct interviews.Results: both PI & GI means value showed fluctuation within the three age groups. With the highest value reported in the 7-9 years old children of both genders. Both periodontal parameters were of higher values in the females children. The frequency of tooth brushing showed a positive correlation with age and a negative correlation with both PI&GI. The gingival inflammation assessment showed that mild gingivitis is the most prevalent type of gingivitis within the three age groups with the highest prevalence in the 7-9 years old group of both genders. Regarding oral hygiene performance. Majority of the children 171 (57%) practice daily oral hygiene, with the females showing higher percentage of tooth brushing performance. among whom 35% brushed twice/day and 65% brushed once/day. Out of the children who brushed their teeth 42% brushed at night,23% early in the morning and 35% at both timing, 62% used the horizontal tooth brushing method and the rest 38% used the vertical method. None of the screened children practiced dental flossing.Conclusion: Despite the daily oral hygiene practiced by the majority of children in the sample , mild gingivitis was prevalent therefore parents ,caregivers& teachers should be targeted during oral health education campaigns to encourage them to teach the correct tooth brushing habits to the children. We suggest that school based oral health promotion and education programmes should be instituted to give positive reinforcement of the oral hygiene practices the child may have learnt at home and to educate those who had never brushed their teeth before starting primary school.