Comparison of caries and gingivitis occurrence between children and adults: findings from dental and oral health screening at Saraswati Dental Hospital Denpasar

Perbandingan kejadian karies dan gingivitis antara kelompok anak dan dewasa berdasarkan skrining kesehatan gigi dan mulut di Rumah Sakit Gigi dan Mulut Saraswati Denpasar

Abstract

Dental caries and gingivitis remain public health issues with high prevalence in Indonesia across various age groups. This study analysed differences in the incidence of caries and gingivitis between children aged 6-10 years and adults aged 30-36 years based on screening activities at the Saraswati Dental and Oral Hospital in Denpasar. Using an analytical observational design and a cross-sectional approach, 89 respondents were selected via purposive sampling, comprising 44 children and 45 adults who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through clinical examinations using the def-t index for children, the DMF-T index for adults, and the Gingival Index (GI) to assess gingival condition. Data were analysed descriptively and bivariately using the Mann-Whitney test, showing that the caries index was significantly higher in the adult group (DMF-T 297) compared to children (def-t 129) (p<0.05). Gingivitis in both groups was classified as moderate, with a slightly higher proportion in children (28%) compared to adults (25%). It was concluded that caries is cumulative with in-creasing age, whilst gingivitis is more influenced by current oral hygiene practices; therefore, promotive and preventive strategies tailored to age-specific cha-racteristics are required to improve oral health.