Oral health status of children in rural communities of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Social determinants of health are affected by socioeconomic status, level of education attained, living conditions, and access to healthcare. Access to oral health care is impacted by the environment, in which one resides and the knowledge and benefits of good oral healthcare and prevention, most of which is influenced by parental knowledge and habits. Oral health status was reported on two populations of Sri Lankan children; one group residing in a tea plantation and the other in Mullaithivu, the northernmost area of Sri Lanka. Tea estate dwellers represent an impoverished group, where the education level attained is less than half of the national average. The decay rate in this population of children is high, many of them with early childhood caries. In Mullaithivu, children make up one-third of the population. Children between the ages of 6 and 19 were observed to have a large number of caries. Access to dental care in these remote areas is limited. Developing an oral health program to serve these populations would be beneficial to assist in healthy living.