Identifying Oral And Dental Health Status In Lapta Region Of Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus

Objective: The aim of this study was to figure out the oral and dental health status and also to elucidate the relationships between clinical conditions and some socio-demographic characteristics in Lapta region of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)Methods: The study was done by the support and assistance of TRNC Lapta Municipality between May 2011 and May 2012 which was based on a survey and intra-oral examinations of the volunteers who were agreed to participate the study and living in in Lapta, Kayalar, Sadrazamkoy, Mediterranean, Camlibel, Kozankoy, Alemdag, Taskent, Tepebasi, Hisarkoy, Korucam, Kozan, TRNC. In order to conduct intra-oral examinations; gloves, mask, mirror, sond, wet wipes and gauze sterilized instruments, were used which was sterilized and prepared on a daily basis. Results were statistically evaluated.Results: A total of 735 patients were examined and questionnaire was filled. Results indicated that most of the participants consume sugary foods between meal courses. Of all participants, 85% of the population had toothbrush, however 8.31% never brush their teeth. Almost six percent of the people have never visited a dental clinic. There was a considerable teeth loss in the participants' mouth. More than seventy percent of the individuals had decayed teeth, whereas half of them had fillings in the mouth.Conclusion: The main oral health problem is the dental caries in Lapta region. It is suggested that the preventive dental applications, the importance of encouraging people to go to the dentist for a routine checkup and dental treatment is crucial to improve the oral and health status in this region.