ORAL HEALTH EVALUATION OF 14-17 AGE GROUPS BOXING AND WRESTLING ATHLETES IN TERMS OF DENTAL CARIES PREVALANCE

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the DMFT index and decay prevalance in the 14-17 age group wrestling and boxing athletes, and to stress the importance of preventive dentistry services. The athletes belonged to various socio economic conditions. Age groups were divided into the 15 years age group and the post-adolescent group. DMFT index and decay prevalance scores of the athletes were obtained. Oral examinations were made according to WHO’s intraoral examination standarts. The 15 years age group average female-male DMFT index value was 3.23 and the decay prevalance was 85.1%. The teenage group average female-male DMFT index value was 3.32 and decay prevalance was found to be 77.5%. The DMFT index values found in the study are within the Turkish average scores for the year 2000, and higher than the Turkish average score of the year 2005. For both age groups decay prevalance figures were higher than the average Turkish scores.