Assessment of the Prevalence of Dental Caries in Kabul City
Keywords: Adolescents, Dental Caries, Deep Caries, DMFT Index, Treatment Patterns, Tooth Preservation
Hedayatullah Ehsan
Abstract
Dental caries is a localized microbiological disease that begins after tooth eruption and destroys the hard tissues of the tooth as a result of the interaction between acid-producing bacteria, fermentable sugary substances, and the tooth structure. This disease has a higher prevalence in communities where access to health services is limited and the level of awareness about these services is low. This research was conducted with the aim of determining the prevalence of dental caries and investigating factors affecting it among 1014 individuals visiting the health centers and clinics of Kabul city in 1403(2024/2025). The factors examined included age, gender, education level, place of residence, anatomical position of the tooth, and habits of sweets consumption. This study was designed as a retrospective and cross-sectional study. Samples were selected from six health centers and clinics registered with the Kabul Medical Council. Data were coded and analyzed using SPSS analytical software. All participants provided written consent. The prevalence of deep caries reached 100%, making comparisons between groups impossible. The mean DMFT index increased significantly with age and was higher in women. Although more than 92% of individuals brushed daily and nearly half consumed sweets daily, behavioral factors were not independently associated with deep caries. Treatment methods primarily included root canal treatment (79.2%) and fillings (76.7%), while tooth extraction comprised only 6.7% of cases. Although the 100%prevalence reflects a clinical sample and is not representative of the community, the severity of caries increases with age and is higher in women. The treatment pattern primarily aims at tooth preservation, but the high DMFT index indicates delayed visits and limited access to services. Future studies with community-based sampling are recommended for accurate prevalence estimation.
