OBJECTIVES: This study used nationally representative samples from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) (2010-2019) to determine the frequency of toothbrushing among school-going students (N = 266,113) in 72 countries.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The country-specific sample size ranged from 130 in Tokelau to 25,408 in Malaysia. The outcome variable was the frequency of brushing or cleaning teeth once daily within the past 30 days prior to the survey. Bivariate analysis was conducted following a descriptive study to determine the frequency of toothbrushing or cleaning across different age groups (≤12, 13, 14, 15, ≥16 years), sexes, World Health Organization (WHO) regions, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita quintiles.
RESULTS: The overall proportion of males to females in the sample was 50.9:49.1. In 45 countries or territories (62.5%), the proportion of participants who reported brushing their teeth at least once a day was above 90%. Participants from 10 countries or territories (13.9%) reported never or rarely brushing their teeth. In 69 countries or territories (95.8%), male students were more likely than female students to never or rarely brush their teeth. The highest rate of individuals who never or rarely brush their teeth (32.1%) was reported in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In comparison, the Region of the Americas had the highest frequency of brushing twice or more daily (82.9%).
CONCLUSIONS: Educational interventions focused on dental health implemented in schools and aimed at early adolescents have the potential to promote the formation of healthy habits, which may lead to improved well-being over both short and long terms.
Objectives: The aim of present study was to assess the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) of dental practitioners in Kolkata city, West Bengal, India regarding COVID-2019 pandemic.
Materials and method: Online questionnaire was distributed among dentists across West Bengal city, using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling. The questionnaire had 17 questions: (1) Section A was 'General section' which comprised of socio-demographic and professional details of the subjects; and (2) Section B comprised of 14 questions depicting knowledge, awareness attitude and practice regarding COVID-19. The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis with level of significance at p=0.05. The descriptive statistical analysis was done to compute frequency and percentages. Intergroup comparison was determined by Chi-square statistical analysis to determine the level of significance for responses of each question.
Results: Around 70.4% undergraduates participated in the study. Only 4.3% showed accurate knowledge with respect to the incubation period of coronavirus. Coughing and sneezing was considered to be the most common mode of transmission. 98.9% of dentists considered fever to be the characteristic symptom of the disease. Hand washing and alcohol rubs was advocated by 99.5% of the dentist. Emergency procedures were considered necessary by 90.8% dentists. 75.1% of dentists agree that their practice has been affected by the pandemic.
Conclusion: A constant update regarding COVID-19 should be made available to dental health care professionals through webinars, seminars, discussions and articles. Dentists should keep themselves updated and help to fight against this pandemic.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between khat and occlusal caries progression.
Methods: A cohort study was carried out among 98 Yemeni khat chewers and 101 non-chewers aged 18-35 years old with early occlusal caries lesions. All participants answered questions on socio-demographic, khat , oral hygiene , sugar intake, and oral health knowledge at baseline. All posterior teeth with an early enamel lesion on occlusal surfaces detected by visual inspection at baseline were also subjected to DIAGNOdent assessment to confirm early lesion (DIAGNOdent reading 13-24). Participants were re-examined after 12 weeks. Caries progression was considered to occur when the DIAGNOdent reading was >25. Data were analyzed using Relative risk, Mann-Whitney U test, a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and logistic regression analysis.
Results: Occlusal caries progression incidence between khat chewers and non-chewers, with the relative risk was 1.68. There was no significant difference in occlusal caries progression on chewing side and non-chewing side among khat chewers. Khat chewing was a statistical predictor for those with low income.
Conclusion: Khat is a risk factor for occlusion caries progression among low income group.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done among 253 children of 5-, 12-, and 15-year-olds living in various orphanage houses of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Demographic data, and dietary and oral hygiene practices were collected through a structured questionnaire. Clinical examinations of children were conducted to assess oral health status and recorded in the World Health Organization oral health assessment form (1997). Stimulated saliva was collected for S. mutans and Lactobacilli levels. The statistical software, namely, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 19.0 was used for the analysis of the data.
RESULTS: The final data analysis included 253 children of which 116 (45.8%) were boys and 137 (54.2%) were girls. Overall, 140 (55.33%) children were caries-free and 113 (44.66%) children presented with caries (decayed/missing/filled surface >0). High levels of salivary microbiological counts (S. mutans and Lactobacilli), i.e., ≥105, stress the importance of necessary preventive oral health services. Treatment needs among orphan children showed that most of the children, i.e., 58 (22.9%), need preventive or caries-arresting care followed by 49 (19.4%) who require two-surface filling as an immediate measure.
CONCLUSION: From the results of our study, orphan children have low utilization of preventive and therapeutic oral health services. Urgent attention is required to plan a comprehensive dental health-care program to improve their oral health status.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Parents are the primary caretakers of children, but woefully some of them have to lead their lives without parents, the latter either being dead or incapable of bringing up their children. Such a group of children is known as orphans. As oral health is an integral part of general health, it is essential for health-care policy makers to address oral health needs of this underprivileged group of society. This article highlights the risk factors and treatment needs among orphan schoolchildren.