Assessment of Children’s Oral Health in Wallis and Futuna, 2022–2023

Introduction – Dental caries has the highest global prevalence among children. No epidemiological data were available for Wallis and Futuna (WF) until now. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of dental caries among 6- and 12-year-old children in WF and to identify associated risk factors among 6-year-olds. Methods – A cross-sectional study was conducted on 194 first-grade (CP) students in 2022, followed by 159 seventh-grade (5e) students in 2023. The number of decayed, missing due to decay, and filled teeth (coCAO/CAO index) was measured according to World Health Organization (WHO). Among first-graders, oral health behaviors were assessed using self-administered questionnaires completed by parents. Results – For first-graders (6 years old), the caries prevalence in mixed dentition was 69.7%, and the median coCAO was 3. No association between third-party factors and caries prevalence was found. For fifth graders (12 years old), the prevalence was 49.1%, with a mean CAO of 1.6. Discussion – This first study on caries prevalence in WF, which is very high at age 6 and substantial at age 12 with a high percentage of caries in the coCAO/CAO index, highlights a public health issue that had not been previously quantified. A public health response, in conjunction with the actions of the regional health project and the WHO 2023–2030 strategy for oral health, could thus be undertaken.

Author(s): Couteaux Clément, Randrianjohany Andry, Bellocq Gautier, Lam Anna

Publishing year: 2025

Pages: 406-413

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2025, n° 21, p. 406-413

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