Status of Oral Health Care in Children Attended the Peslutan 2004 - Region of Saint Lucia

INTRODUCTION. The importance of oral health in individuals and society is unquestioned, as the impact that pain, discomfort and social and functional limitation may cause in the quality of life is incalculable. Among the problems that affect the oral cavity, dental caries remains the most common. This disease causes pain and discomfort from the early stages, even with serious psychological mutilation and aesthetic damage as a result of tooth loss in later stages. METHODS. In the place where they developed the project activities, students at the undergraduate course in Dentistry made the inspection and clinical examination in thirty children, noting the frequency to the dentist, the data for missing or decayed teeth, the profile of plaque and whether he had ever applied fluoride. RESULTS. The dental services are very poor in the community. Most of the population receive no dental care even in emergencies. Health promotion can be defined as any combination of educational factors, organizational, economic and environmental factors that lead to a behavior directed to health, as well as society and individuals in their attempt to maximize health. CONCLUSION. The status of oral health care in children treated at PESLUTAN 2004 - the region of Saint Lucia in Maceio, is in dire need of dental services in the community, these services are not only for curative procedures, but mainly those who aim to promote health and disease prevention.