Oral health in children in Libya

Abstract

The aims of this article are to review and analyse oral health in Libyan children, based on the epidemiological studies conducted in the country and to explore the present trends and future challenge. A bibliographic study of prevalence of dental caries research and publications has been carried out. The results showed that the prevalence and severity of dental caries in Libyan school children are high. There is an indication of an upward trend in its prevalence in Libya representing a high rate of unmet treatment needs. A significant proportion of children were affected by dental caries which emphasizes the importance of preventive measures needed to control the caries process, before the need for invasive involvement to restore carious teeth. These findings contribute to the overall picture of Libyan schoolchildren’s dental health and will provide a clearer picture regarding the prevalence of dental caries to determine if these dental conditions a cause of concern in terms of public oral health in Libya and emphasizes the importance of effective detection, maintaining and evaluation strategies in the prevention of these conditions. Also it highlighted the importance of educating parents in relation to dental diseases and their potential risk factors, so that they can include healthy practices in their family on a daily basis.