Areesha Aamir¹, Aima Nisar^1*, 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, 35.2% (n = 111) reported iron supplement intake, and 64.8% (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. Children aged 11–12 years had significantly lower DMFT scores than those aged 5–7 years (β = −1.330, p = 0.003), whereas the 8–10 year group did not differ significantly from the reference group (p = 0.157). 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 cross-sectional design and limited statistical power preclude causal conclusions. Age and dietary habits were more strongly linked to caries prevalence.

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

Data Availability: The data supporting this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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How to Cite: Aamir A, Nisar A, Fatima T, Tahir M, Saeed M, Ashraf J. ​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):41-50