Abstract:

Objective Oral and dental diseases are common in our society, which can affect general health and these diseases can be inhibited by preventive precautions. The aim of this study is to examine dental health screening results of children with and without fluoride varnish application and to evaluate the application of varnish with fluoride in terms of the number of caries in the deciduous molar teeth, the frequency of brushing the teeth, the reasons for going to the dentist and the educational status of the families. Material and Methods: In this study, data were collected with the fluoride varnish application carried out by the District Health Directorate. 200 children were randomly selected from the first-year students in the 2017-2018 academic year and included in the study. The results of the survey and dental health screening were evaluated in children with and without fluoride varnish application and the Decay index, frequency of tooth brushing, reasons for going to the dentist, and the educational status of the families were compared. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the tooth decay index and tooth brushing frequency of children with and without fluorine treatment. Tooth decay was found in 60% of children included in the study. The awareness of the families about dental health was evaluated. While 30% of the families who do not allow the application of fluoride varnish has higher education, it was found that higher education was 21% for the families that did allow. It was found that 46% of the children who are not allowed to apply fluoride varnish have no caries, while 34% of the children who are allowed do not have any caries. In addition, it was found that 48.5% of the children included in the study never went to a dentist. While 68% of the children regularly brush their teeth in the group who were not applied fluoride varnish , it was observed that this rate was 62% in the children who were applied fluoride varnish. Conclusion In this study, it was determined that the education level of the families who did not allow fluoride varnish application was higher than those who allowed. It was found that children who were applied fluoride varnish had more decayed teeth and less tooth brushing frequency than the children who were not applied. In addition, it was found that the rate of going to the dentist was lower in children who were applied fluoride varnish than those who did not.

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