Description

Dental caries among children remain a serious problem. Early childhood caries can manifest in chewing difficulty, Pain, infection, gastrointestinal disorders, malnutrition, and low self-esteem. Decay of primary teeth can affect children's growth, and studies have reported that the presence of caries in primary teeth may be associated with future decay of permanent dentition. Oral health is an essential component of health throughout life. Behavioural practices feature prominently in the oral health literature reflecting the fact that much of the dental disease is preventable. Dental caries or tooth decay is both a universal and a lifelong disease. Several studies undertaken in different parts of the country show that dental caries has been consistently increasing in its prevalence and severity, Hence an attempt has been made in the present study to assess the prevalence of dental caries among 12 and 15 years old school children in Moradabad city.