Oral Health, Self-Diagnostic Evaluation in Mexican School Children

OBJECTIVES:, Evaluate the application of self-diagnostic in oral health in school children.

METHODS:, An experimental design for this investigation was used, in which a group used the handbook for learning the self diagnostic (experimental group) and a control group that did not use the handbook, both groups were obtained from the same school population in a randomized manner to conserve the same sociodemographic characteristics. The independent variable was the use or non use of the handbook of self-diagnostic, and the dependent variables were the self-diagnostic of the number of teeth with caries, and obturated and loosen dental pieces, as well as, the grade of oral hygiene and periodontal disease.

RESULTS:, In this study it was observed a statistical significant difference in the children that learned the handbook for self-diagnostic of the number of dental pieces with caries, obturated and loosen teeth, as well as, the grade of periodontal disease, when compared with the adults of control group (p .005).

CONCLUSION:, The use of the handbook for learning the self-diagnostic of oral diseases increase in a significant way the ability of adults to detect the number of teeth with caries, obturated and loosen dental pieces, the severity of periodontal disease, as well as, oral hygiene, these facts may facilitate the development of a prevention model applied in children in which this handbook is included.