ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF FEMALE ORPHANAGE ADOLESCENTS COMPARED TO ADOLESCENTS LIVING WITH THEIR FAMILIES, QASSIM, SAUDI ARABIA.

Aim: To evaluate the dental health status of female orphans (12-20 years old) living in government orphanages in Qassim, and to compare them with the status of adolescents who live with their families. Materials & Methods: 30 orphanage girls aged 12-20 in Qassim region (study group) and 30 school girls (comparison group) of same age and area were examined orally for DMFT index and OHI-S after answering a 12-questions questionnaire regarding the oral hygiene practices. Data analysis was done using SPSS. Results: The mean value of the orphan’s DMFT (5.27) was found to be higher than non-orphans group (2.03). Moreover, OHI-S showed a higher mean value in orphans (1.40) than their counterparts (0.59). A higher proportion of adolescents ‘living with families’ (66.7%) brush their teeth twice daily or more than those living in orphanage. Regarding the type of toothbrush, a significantly higher proportion of orphans (63.3%) did not know about the type of brush they use. A higher percentage of orphans (80%) use to change their brush every 3 months compared to their counterparts. A significantly higher proportion of children living with families are attending dentist when in pain (p<0.05). About one fourth of orphans have never visited a dentist. Conclusion: Oral hygiene practices and index of orphans were found to be worse than the non-orphan group, except for proper time of changing brush. There was a higher score of DMFT among orphans compared with the non-orphan subjects.