Three-year survey of oral hygiene conditions of Cambodian public primary school children.

Purpose: The purpose of this repeated cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of oral hygiene conditions in Cambodian primary school children.

Methods: Oral examinations were conducted on 2,020 school children (1st-6th grade) at a public primary school in Siem Reap, Cambodia from 2013 to 2015, focusing on plaque adhesion, gingiva, and dental calculus deposition. Data analysis was performed on 1,998 children without any missing data, and the chi-square test was used to compare the variables.

Results: The prevalence of dental plaque adhesion in 2013, 2014, and 2015 was 93.6%, 93.7%, and 85.1%, respectively. The prevalence of gingivitis in 2013, 2014, and 2015 was 93.1%, 92.1%, and 88.8%, respectively. The prevalence of dental calculus deposition in 2013, 2014, and 2015 was 55.1%, 19.3%, and 34.7%, respectively. Significant differences were observed in all variables each year (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that oral hygiene conditions were poor in this population.