Abstract
<jats:p>The military aggression of the rf and forced migration within Ukraine have led to the formation of a complex of cariogenic factors (chronic stress, changes in nutritional status) that negatively impact children’s oral health. The age period of 10-13 years is physiologically critical due to the completion of the transition to permanent dentition and the active maturation of permanent tooth enamel, making this cohort highly vulnerable to aggressive dental caries. The lack of comprehensive data regarding the oral health of internally displaced children necessitates thorough research using modern diagnostic tools. The aim of the study was to conduct a comparative assessment of the prevalence and intensity of dental caries in internally displaced children aged 10-13 years compared to their peers who are permanent residents of the Ternopil region, in order to substantiate directions for optimizing therapeutic and preventive care. The study involved the examination of 147 children aged 10 – 13 years. The study population was divided into two cohorts: the study group (n = 58), comprising children with internally displaced person status, and the comparison group (n = 89), consisting of local residents. The diagnostic protocol included determining the DMFT index (decayed, missing, and filled teeth), calculating the Significant Caries Index (SiC), and detailed coding of hard tissue conditions using the ICDAS II system. The study revealed a profound destabilization of oral health status among displaced children. Caries prevalence in the main group was 93.55±3.11 %, which significantly exceeded the comparison group’s rate by 1.4 times, p<0.01. The most pronounced difference was recorded at the age of 13. The intensity of the lesions according to the SiC index in the main group reached 6.14±0.21, which is 1.5 times higher than that of local peers, p<0.01, confirming the theory of pathology “polarization”. Particular attention was drawn to the structure of lesions according to ICDAS II: a dominance of cavitated forms (codes 4-6) was found in internally displaced person children, the total value of which was 1.8 times higher than in the control group, p<0.01. Specifically, the intensity of code 6 lesions in 10-year-old displaced children exceeded that of local children by 11.3 times, indicating a complete lack of timely dental clearance and early intervention. Meanwhile, initial stages of lesions (codes 1-2) were diagnosed significantly less frequently in the main group, indicating a rapid progression of caries to the stage of tissue defect. The oral health of internally displaced children aged 10-13 years is characterized by critically high caries intensity and a predominance of severe destructive forms of lesions. The observed 1.5 – 1.8-fold increase in SiC and ICDAS II (4-6) indices compared to permanent residents of the Ternopil region objectifies the negative impact of war-related stress and socio-economic factors and dictates the need for developing targeted dental support programs.</jats:p>