Disparities in Dental Caries among Students in Senegalese Koranic School: Epidemiological Study in Daara of Koki

Abstract

Background: School is a space where children are exposed to the social and psychosocial environment that can affect their health. In Senegal, the prevalence of dental caries is high in classic schools according to fragmented data, and unknown in the koranic school (Daaras). Objective: The objective is to describe the disparity of dental caries in the schoolchildren (talibes) of Daara of Koki. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 400 talibes aged 7 to 12 years. Dental caries and socio-demographic data were, respectively, collected by clinical examination and questionnaire. Results: The sex ratio was 9, the mean age of 9.9 ± 1.5 years and the mean length of stay in the Daara was 2.3 ± 1.1 years. The prevalence of dental caries was 47.4%. The average mixed DFMT index was 1.1 ± 1.5. The prevalence was 51.2% among boys, 60% among eight-year-old children and 37.4% among twelve-year-old children. By length of stay, the prevalence was 52.9% at the start and 22.2% at the end with a significant downward trend (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The study showed an unequally distributed of caries among talibes of Koki’s Daara. She suggests that oral health promotion policies are needed in Koranic schools and must rely on koranic teachers.