Areesha Aamir¹, Aima Nisar¹*, Tabeen Fatima¹, Mahnoor Tahir¹, Maham Saeed¹, Javed Ashraf^1,2

¹Department of Oral Public Health, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan

²Institute of Dentistry, University of Eastern Finland, Finland

*Corresponding address: Department of Oral Public Health, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Email: aimanisar5@gmail.com

Received: 18 September 2025 / Revised: 05 November 2025 / Accepted: 22 November 2025 / Available Online: 15
December 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63137/jsteam.776215

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dental caries among school children aged 5 to 12 years
using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) index. It also aimed to investigate the relationship between
dental caries and the use of iron supplements, as well as the impact of oral hygiene habits on caries prevention.
Additionally, the study addresses the current knowledge gap regarding the potential link between iron
supplementation and dental health, aiming to provide clarity for parents on the safe use of iron supplements in
young children.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 315 children aged 5-12 years in selected private
and public schools in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Data on iron supplement intake, oral hygiene practices, and
dietary habits were collected using structured questionnaires administered to mothers/guardians, and clinical
dental examinations were used to assess DMFT scores. Statistical analyses were performed using Jamovi
software for bivariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate the predictive accuracy and determine the important
variables.

Results: The sample size of this study was n = 315 children. Among the 315 children, 35.200% (n = 111)
reported iron supplement intake, and 64.800% (n = 204) did not. There was no significant difference in the
mean DMFT scores between the non-supplement and supplement groups, which were 2.170 ± 2.630 and 2.350
± 2.650, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that age was a significant predictor of
DMFT, with 11–12 years having significantly lower DMFT scores than 5–7 years. Balanced, healthy, and
protein diets were correlated with lower DMFT scores than processed/sugary diets. No significant interactions
were observed between age and iron supplementation.

Conclusion: The findings showed that iron supplementation was not significantly associated with an increased
risk of dental caries in children. However, the research indicates that age and dietary habits are more strongly
linked to caries prevalence. These findings support the continued use of iron supplements without adverse
implications for pediatric dental health.

Keywords: Child; Dental caries; Dietary habits; Iron; Oral hygiene

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This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

How to Cite: Aamir A et al., Prevalence of Dental Caries and Its Association with Iron Supplements in School Children of
Rawalpindi and Islamabad. J Sci Technol Educ Art Med. 2025;2(2):44-52