1 in 8 Kashmiri children has enamel defects: Study
Srinagar: One in every eight children attending the Dental Specialty Hospital in Kashmir has developmental defects of enamel (DDE), a new study has found.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the hospital-based study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Cureus and carried out by researchers from Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar, examined 10,070 children aged 3-12 years over a seven-month period.
Of these, 1,208 children were found to have DDE, with 3,308 teeth affected, giving an overall prevalence of about 12 percent. The study said developmental defects occur while tooth enamel is forming and make teeth vulnerable to sensitivity, cavities, rapid wear and cosmetic problems.
Permanent teeth were significantly more affected than primary teeth. Permanent incisors accounted for 626 affected teeth and permanent molars for 754 teeth. The burden was highest among children aged 6-9 years, with 77.7 percent in this group showing enamel defects.
Among the types, demarcated opacities were most common, affecting 816 teeth, followed by enamel hypoplasia and diffuse opacities.
The researchers stressed the need for routine dental screening, early diagnosis, preventive oral health programmes and timely intervention to reduce the burden of dental disease among Kashmiri children.
