Determing OHI-S and DMFT in students at Universidad Veracruzana, México

Introduction: Knowledge of the dental health of the population constitutes a fundamental task of public health, since oral diseases- such as cavities and periodontal disease- are the health conditions with highest incidence and prevalence around the world. The objective of this study was to determine the index of decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT) and the simplified oral health index (OHI-S) of first year university students in the state of Veracruz, province of Mexico. 27Material y method: A descriptive, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out, applying a comprehensive health ex am which consisted of two parts: a questionnaire and a clinical exam. Results: The DMFT index was 13.1. The prevalence of cavities was 80.9, missing teeth was 37.9 y filled teeth was 47.0. The OHI-S was the following: 81.5 percent good, 17.4 percent regular and 1.02 percent bad. Students had a very high OHI-S according to WHO standards. Discussion: The findings for the DMFT index constitute a serious public health problem. This situation is not found only in our country. Findings should guide the necessary interventions in order to improve quality of live for university students.