Impact of Early Oral Preventive Programs on Reducing Surgical Extraction Rates of Primary Teeth in Children

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of early preventive programs in improving oral health among children and reducing the need for surgical extraction of primary teeth. A total of 100 children aged 4 to 10 years were included and divided equally into two groups: a preventive group that received regular preventive interventions (such as fluoride application and oral hygiene instructions), and a non-preventive group that did not receive any structured preventive care. Several indicators were assessed, including the number of surgical extractions, dental caries index (dmft), oral hygiene status, frequency of dental visits, and parental awareness. The results showed a significant reduction in the number of surgical extractions in the preventive group (0.36 ± 0.58) compared to the non-preventive group (0.94 ± 0.81), with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001). The preventive group also had a lower mean dmft score (2.4 ± 1.2) than the non-preventive group (4.9 ± 1.7) (p = 0.000). In terms of oral hygiene, 76% of children in the preventive group had good oral hygiene compared to only 28% in the non-preventive group. Additionally, the preventive group showed more frequent dental visits and higher parental awareness scores. The study concludes that early preventive programs significantly contribute to better oral health outcomes and reduced need for invasive dental procedures in children. It recommends the broader implementation of such programs in schools and health centers.