Thesis (M.Sc.)-Cairo University - Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies - Department of Anthropology

Bibliography: p. 153-163.

Background: Dental caries is one of the most common chronic multifactorial childhood disease worldwide. Epidemiological studies were conducted to evaluate the relationship between oral health and BMI, socio-economic status and eating and oral hygiene habits. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1470 school-age children of both sexes aged between 6-12 years (750 Egyptians and 720 Sudanese Nubians), children were divided into 2 groups (6-9 years and 9-12 years). Oral examination was done according to WHO criteria, weight and height was obtained, socioeconomic level and eating and oral hygiene habits were assessed through a questionnaire. Results: For Egyptians, dental caries was highest in normal weight and lowest in severe thin, and was highest in high socioeconomic status and lowest in low socioeconomic status, dental caries was higher in children who ate snacks and sweets and don’t brush their teeth, higher in females than males, and in group I (6-9) than group II (9-12).. For Sudanese, Distribution of dental caries was higher in normal weight, higher in medium socioeconomic status, children who ate snacks and sweets and don’t brush their teeth, females was higher than males, group I was higher than group II. Conclusion: the correlation between dental caries, nutritional status, SES, eating and oral hygiene habits was insignificant except in Q 9 (consultation in a dental office ) the correlation was significant weak positive.