OBJECTIVE

To assess the dental status of pediatric population in Kursk and Zheleznogorsk district and correlation with the functional area of residence.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study involved 425 patients from 6 to 15 years old, living in regions of different radius from the Mikhailovsky Mining and Processing Plant: proximity of residence 10—30 km (n₁ — group 1); 31—50 km (n₂ — group 2); more than 50 km — comparison group (n₃). Age subgroups were identified within the groups: children with early mixed bite aged 6—8 years (n₁=45, n₂=41, n₃=46), children with late mixed bite aged 9—12 years (n₁=48, n₂=46, n³=50), children with permanent bite aged 13—15 years (n₁=50, n₂=48, n₃=51).

RESULTS

The prevalence of caries among children is high (n₂ — 89.73%; n₃ — 89.12%). In the industrial risk zone, this indicator reaches 90.24%. For children of 6—8 years, there was a significant increase in the intensity of the carious process within the designated living areas: DMFT+df n₁=5.6 [5.4—5.8] (p<0.001) and n₂=5.4 [5.0—5.6] (p=0.0016) exceeds the median value of the comparison group 5.0 [4.7—5.1]. The level of caries resistance was also reduced with 95% probability for patients of Zheleznogorsk district: n₁ — 6.1 [5.8; 6.3] (p=0.0014) and n₂ — 5.9 [5.4;6.1] (p<0.001).There were no statistically significant differences in children of secondary school age and adolescence with the control group, but a negative trend was identified.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained demonstrate changes in the dental status of children living near an industrially active area, which is a prerequisite for careful monitoring of their health status.