Oral health assessment in the S an B las and Santa Ana populations of N icaragua

Aim The aim of this study was to assess the oral health of a population in rural N icaragua. Methods A total of 241 individuals were recruited from areas around S an B las and S anta A na, N icaragua. A demographic questionnaire assessing income, access to oral health care, means of transportation and presence of dental/health insurance was collected for each patient. Oral screenings were also conducted to assess for evidence of untreated decayed teeth, restorations, missing/extracted teeth and presence/absence of periodontal disease. Results The majority of residents in S an B las and S anta A na, N icaragua, have little income if any, no medical or dental insurance of any kind and no means of transportation. There was a very high prevalence of untreated decayed teeth among the population studied where 51.1% of our sample had three or more dental caries. Children aged fewer than 20 years had five times the prevalence of dental decay than those in the U nited S tates. No statistically significant difference was found in untreated decayed teeth by age or gender. A smaller percentage (25.2%) of all patients had restorations with a statistically significant difference found between genders ( P  < 0.0001). There was also a relationship between gender and number of missing/extracted teeth ( P  < 0.001). There was no significant difference in amount of untreated decayed teeth among those who reported having been seen by a dentist within the previous one‐to‐three, greater than 3 years or never at all. Conclusion Among a population of individuals from S an B las and S anta A na, N icaragua, there are major socio‐economic barriers present, and a significant burden of oral pathology is evident.