Data from: Dental status of New Caledonian children: is there a need for a new oral health promotion programme?

Background: Before implementing a new oral health promotion program in the
French overseas territory of Nouvelle Calédonie, the health authorities
needed recent data about dental status of the New Caledonian child
population. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the dental status of
6, 9 and 12-yr-old New Caledonian children and to investigate the
environmental and behavioural risk factors related to oral health.
Methods: A randomly selected sample of 2734 children (744 6-yr-olds, 789
9-yr-olds, and 1201 12-yr-olds) was examined clinically by seven
calibrated investigators and participants responded to a questionnaire.
The main variables were objective criteria about dental status and
subjective criteria about experience of dental care, dental fear,
self-perception of oral health, cultural or ethnic identity and
environmental and behavioural risk factors. Results: Overall, most of the
children had infectious oral diseases: more than 50% had gingivitis, and
60% of 6- and 9 yr-olds had at least one deciduous or permanent tooth with
untreated caries. The mean 12-yr-old number of decayed missing and filled
teeth (DMFT) was 2.09±2.82. The number of carious lesions was related to
the unfavourable lifestyle, deprived social status and no preventive
dental care. Kanak, Polynesians and Caledonians (respectively 27%, 18% and
45% of the study sample) were more affected by caries than metropolitan
French and Asian children. Children with many untreated carious lesions
had negative perceptions of their oral health; they complained of chewing
difficulty and had higher scores for dental anxiety. Conclusion: This
study highlights the need for new strategies aimed at improving oral
health and at reducing inequalities in New Caledonia. An oral health
promotion program would need to be developed in connection with other
health programmes using the common risk factor approach within the context
of the local environment.