This is a cross-sectional study in a representative sample of preschool children from 12 preschools (TADIKA KEMAS) Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Malaysia. Data on socioeconomic status and sources of water supply at home were collected through interview with mothers. Children’s anthropometric data (height and weight) and body-mass-index-for-age (BMI-for-age) was calculated. Oral examinations of ECC status was based on the dmft index (WHO, 1997). The results showed mean
carious teeth were very high (dmft 11.1±4.8) and almost every preschool child was affected with ECC (prevalence 98.1%). The majority were in “high caries” category (i.e. dmft >7) and about 51.4% of preschoolers was underweight and only a few was overweight/obese. Preschool children with high caries mostly were underweight and normal of BMI. The BMI-for-age, household income and household expenditure for food were significant correlation with ECC experience (p
Tooth wear is the non-carious loss of tooth tissue due to attrition, erosion and/or abrasion. The amount of wear that accelerates physiological tooth wear is referred as pathological tooth wear. This study aims to determine the prevalence and mean scores according to mouth quadrant of raw tooth wear (RTW) and pathological tooth wear (PTW) and investigate sex association with PTW among 16-year-old secondary school children in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This cross-sectional study involves 688 participants randomly selected from eight government secondary schools. The Smith and Knight Tooth Wear Index (TWI) was used. Data were analyzed using a simplified Microsoft Excel program developed based on the index to quantify PTW. Bar graphs were plotted to highlight the mean scores according to mouth quadrant. About 44% of participants were male and 56% were female. The prevalence of RTW and PTW among subjects was 100% and 20.1% respectively. It was found that 32.8% of tooth surfaces were affected with RTW and 0.7% of study subjects already had exposed dentine. The most affected quadrant for RTW and PTW was the upper and lower incisal quadrant respectively. Males had 92% more odds of developing tooth wear compared to females. In conclusion, all subjects have some degree of wear. About one-fifth of the study subjects were affected by PTW. The patterns of wear were similar to those encountered in the Western societies. There was statistically significant association between sex and PTW.
Several studies on job stress have been conducted among nurses, teachers, clerks, lecturers, laboratory technicians, petroleum and automotive workers and the calculated prevalences ranged from 20-35%; associated factors identified include high job demand, low job control and poor social support. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of stress in dental healthcare workers of an institution of higher learning in Kelantan. A cross-sectional study of the prevalence and associated factors of stress in 54 dental healthcare workers of an institution of higher learning in Kelantan [response rate of 63.5 percent] was conducted in March 2006. The Malay version of the validated Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and Karasek’s Job Content Questionnaire were used as research instruments in this study. Informed consents were obtained from all participants. The prevalence of stress was 22.2%. One (1.9%) staff member experienced severe stress whilst 20.4% experienced mild to moderate stress. After controlling for age, sex, marital status and duration of work, psychological job demand (adj. b 0.61, 95% CI 0.21, 1.00, p=0.003), toxic exposures (adj. b 1.41, 95% CI 0.47, 2.35, p=0.004) and overtime work (adj. b 5.67, 95% CI - 1.18, 10.16, p=0.015) were directly associated with reported stress in dental healthcare workers. High psychological job demand, increased toxic exposures at work and increased overtime work were significantly associated with stress in dental healthcare workers. These findings can be used to guide preventive measures to reduce stress in dental healthcare settings.
A 48 years old Malay lady with a case of painless soft fluctuant swelling of left parotid gland is reported. The lesion was found to be a cystic lesion through the pre operative examinations and investigations. The cyst was completely excised, taking care not to injure the lower division of the facial nerve. Post recovery was uneventful with no defect of the facial nerve functions. The histologic picture confirmed that the cyst was lymphoepithelial cyst which is so called “branchial cyst”. Through the literature reviews of parotid lymphoepitelial cyst the discussions on prevalence, origin, diagnosis, histological finding, investigation and the modes of treatment are made. The ultra sound was found to be valuable in the pre operative evaluation of the parotid swelling furthermore it is non-invasive, harmless, painless and relatively quick.
The sample size calculation for a prevalence only needs a simple formula. However, there are a number of practical issues in selecting values for the parameters required in the formula. Several practical issues are addressed and appropriate recommendations are given. The paper also suggests the application of a software calculator that checks the normal approximation assumption and incorporates finite population correction in the sample size calculation.
To assess their awareness and usage of mouthguard and occurrence of sports-related oral injuries in athletes who involve in various sports activities in Kota Bharu. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 180 athletes aged 12 to 27 years. A structured interviewer-guided questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of oral injuries sustained during sport activities, the use of mouthguard as well as the athletes' awareness of mouthguard use. The respondents consisted of 107 males (59.5%) and 73 females (40.5%) with a mean age of 16.7 years (SD 5.53). There were 60 (22.2%) athletes who had one or more types of sports-related oral injuries sustained. Laceration of lips, tongue and gums were the most frequent injuries (57.5%) while loosening of teeth and fracture of teeth sustained in 12.5% and 10.0% of athletes respectively. Malay traditional martial arts silat athletes, 17(68.0%) experienced the highest oral injuries among athletes. The prevalence of oral injuries was significantly different between ball sports, martial arts and other non-contact sports (p=0.002). Sixty-one athletes (33.9%) reported that they were aware of mouthguard; however none of the athletes used the mouthguards during their sports activities. Malay traditional martial arts silat was the most common susceptible to sustain oral injuries. None of the athletes were wearing mouthguard. Education on prevention of orofacial trauma should be given to the coaches and athletes. Wearing of mouthguard during sport activities should be compulsory during practice and competition events.
his study assesses inter-examiner reproducibility in recording various malocclusion parameters and Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) grade during patient examination by utilising the kappa statistic. Five previously calibrated orthodontists clinically examined 233 non-orthodontically treated schoolchildren aged 14-17 years for recording various malocclusion parameters. The examination was repeated twice, thirty days apart and precluded the use of study-models or radiographs. Although good inter-examiner reproducibility was observed in recording incisor class, IOTN dental health grade, type of posterior crossbite, and excellent for parameters with absolute criteria like
erupted supernumeraries, etc, substantial examiner variation resulted in only fair reproducibility for recording IOTN esthetic category, canine class, overbite category, traumatic overbite and upper centre-line shift of two millimetres or more from the facial midline. Reproducibility for detecting occlusal displacement in the presence of crossbite was poor, and kappa statistic was incalculable for recording openbite and number of upper incisors rotated 30° or more. Kappa was also incalculable for recording IOTN dental health subcategory due to the creation of asymmetric tables caused by rarely chosen subcategory options. Despite prior agreement between previously calibrated examiners on evaluation criteria, detection of certain malocclusion parameters during an epidemiological examination can prove to be challenging. Epidemiological studies that report on prevalence of malocclusion in the population should always report on the kappa reproducibility, especially if the study is carried out by multiple examiners.
Sufficient knowledge on the root and root canal anatomy is essential for practicing root canal treatment. The mesiobuccal roots of maxillary molar teeth present an endodontic challenge due to their wide variability and complexity of their internal morphological landmarks. A review on the literature indicates that the prevalence of a third mesiobuccal root canal in the mesiobuccal root of maxillary molar teeth may reach 9%, and the root canal configuration usually is type XV (3-2). These reported data reveal the importance of absolute awareness for this anatomical aberration that requires special attention from dental practitioners while commencing root canal treatment in maxillary molar teeth. Hence, this article aims to report and describe the management of a maxillary first molar tooth with three mesiobuccal root canals, but with an unusual configuration.
This study aims to determine the prevalence of denture wearing among elderly and to compare the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) between elderly with dentures and those without dentures. This cross sectional study involved 506 randomly selected edentulous elderly in the district of Badang, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Consented participants were interviewed in the Kelantanese dialect at their homes by a single trained interviewer using the short version Oral Health Impact Profile [S-OHIP(M)] which had been translated into the Malay language, tested and validated for use in Malaysian population. Denture wearing and self rated denture status was noted. The prevalence of denture wearing was 46.2% (95% CI=41.83, 50.70). There was a significant difference in sex, smoking status, self perceived treatment need and self perceived satisfaction between denture wearers and non denture wearers. Denture wearers reported better overall OHRQoL compared to non denture wearers (p
Dental caries is the main oral health problem in hearing-impaired (HI) children and remains the most neglected need. The present study aimed to determine caries prevalence and treatment needs in HI children and the association with salivary parameters. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 63 HI children aged between 7-14 years who attended a special school for the deaf. Clinical oral examination was done and salivary parameters (resting flow rate and resting pH) were measured. Caries experience was charted using the index of decay-filled teeth (dft) and Decay-Missing-Filled Teeth (DMFT) for primary and permanent dentition respectively. Data were analysed using SPSS version 12.0. The mean age was 11.5 (SD 2.39) years and 53.8% were female. Dental caries prevalence was 88.0% (95% Cl: 73.0, 100.0) in primary dentition and 85.0% (95% Cl: 73.0, 96.0) in permanent dentition. The mean dft was 6.1 (SD 4.14) and the mean DMFT was 4.9 (SD 3.28). The mean resting flow rate was 0.14 (SD 0.08) ml/min while mean pH was 6.8 (SD 0.79). Both pit and fissure sealants and restorations were the highest (83.1%) treatment needs. Only 3.1% of the children did not require any treatment. There were no significant association between both salivary flow rate and salivary pH with caries experience in the primary (p=0.342, p=0.610 respectively) and permanent (p= 0.99, p=0.70 respectively) teeth. In conclusion, children with HI have high caries prevalence and unmet need for dental treatments. Salivary pH and resting flow rate of the children were not associated with their caries experience.
This study aimed to assess the nutritional status (BMI), oral health behaviour, sugar consumption and the associated factors with dental caries among a group of 7 to 11 years old children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Three hundred and twelve students were recruited from February to July 2013. Information gathered were their socio-demographic characteristics, body mass index, sugar consumption, oral-health behaviour, oral hygiene index and decay-missing-filled teeth (dmft) index. Anthropometry measurements and sugar intake was measured using verified tools. Meanwhile, dmft was examined using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. 53.7% of the children were of the normal body weight with mean sugar consumption of 31.81±4.24 g/day. Prevalence of dental caries was reported at 44.6% (95% CI: 42.2, 53.3) with a mean (SD) dmft of 1.27(1.84). No association was found between dental caries and weight status distribution. Most children tend to brush their teeth 2 times or more in a day (75%), however, they spent lesser time in tooth brushing (5.4%) and do not practice flossing (78%). Regression analysis showed that age (p
Chronic periodontitis (CP) is an inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth caused by specific microorganism. Hypertension is one of the major causes of cardiovascular disease whereas periodontitis has recently drawn increasing attention because of its potential relationship with cardiovascular disease. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of the hypertension in CP patients as well as to evaluate the association between hypertension and severity of CP. One hundred and eighty five records of CP patients treated in Dental Clinic, Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (USM Hospital), Kelantan from 2010 until 2013 were retrieved and reviewed. The diagnosis of periodontal disease and the presence of hypertension were recorded. The severity of chronic periodontitis was classified into mild, moderate and severe according to the clinical attachment loss. The data was obtained and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Majority of the subjects were from Malay ethnic group (94.4%) at the age range between 41 and 61 years (67.8%). In conclusion, the prevalence of hypertension in chronic periodontitis patients was 12.2%. There was no significant association between hypertension and severity of CP (p=0.229).
Prevalence of dysphagia is one of the important epidemiological data which will contribute to the proper planning and support the setting up of a swallowing rehabilitation clinic at this hospital. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (Hospital USM) from 2001-2010. In this institutional retrospective study, a total of 66 records were obtained comprising of 86.4% Malay patients, 9.1% Chinese, 1.5% Indians, and 3% other ethnic groups. These data were taken from the database of HNC patients seen at the dental clinic, Hospital USM between 2001 and 2010. Difficulty swallowing, frequent coughing during meal, choking, diet modification, and non-oral nutritional support were identified as signs and symptoms associated with dysphagia. Results showed that 59.1% of patients have had dysphagia before, during, or after the treatment of HNC. Data from the present study would be instrumental in increasing awareness among clinicians involved in patient care and it may help in planning the outline of management of dysphagia. Furthermore, it is anticipated to have implications for further research in swallowing and dysphagia.
Study site: Dental clinics, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia
The aim was to study the prevalence and sociodemographic features of odontogenic, non-odontogenic and salivary glands lesions among patients seen in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. This information is essential to assist clinician in formulating reliable differential diagnosis of such lesion. Data on patient demographics, lesion location, tissue of origin and microscopic diagnosis were extracted from the Laboratory and Diagnosis record registries for biopsy specimen accessioned from year 2000 to 2012. This data was subsequently analyzed based on World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck Tumours (2005). A total of 748 cases were included in the study. Out of the total number of cases, 367 cases were males and 377 cases were females. Ninety seven cases (13%) were of odontogenic origin, while 90 cases (12%) and 197 cases (26%) were of non-odontogenic and salivary gland origin respectively. Forty five percent of cases involved oral mucosal lesions. The most prevalent odontogenic lesion reported within the twelve years period was radicular cyst and ameloblastoma. Non-odontogenic bone lesion was rarely encountered with it making up less than two percent of total cases reported. Pleomorphic adenoma was the most prevalent benign salivary glands neoplasm reported within similar time period.
The practice of quack dentistry worldwide is a challenge to the profession of dentistry as it undermines the trust of the general public and places the patients at unnecessary risks through their illegal practices. Although the ratio of patients to dentists is rapidly decreasing in Malaysia due to the increased output of qualified dentists from both local and foreign institutions, quack dentistry is still practiced in many areas. This report intends to highlight a popular treatment prescribed by these quack dentists which is removable partial dentures that is fixed to the adjacent teeth by cold cure acrylic. We also aim to discuss the design of the denture and the means employed to remove this ’fixed partial denture’. It is hoped that this case report will highlight the prevalence of the practice of quack dentistry especially in geographical area of this case report and allow the authorities to devise means to stop this illegal practice.
Dental caries is an important community dental health problem with limited studies in the mixed dentition stage. The aim of this study was to determine the caries prevalence and treatment needs among 7- 9 year old school children in Kelantan which is situated in North East Malaysia. A retrospective dental record review of fully documented dental records belonging to primary school children attending a paediatric dental clinic was conducted. Dental caries was recorded using dmft index and DMFT index for deciduous teeth and permanent teeth respectively. Three hundred and nineteen dental records of 175 (54.9%) boys’ and 144 (45.1%) girls’ were selected and subjected to a ‘dental record study’. The prevalence of dental caries was 93% (95% CI : 89,97) in primary dentition and 50.5% (95% CI : 42.2, 58.8) in permanent teeth. Mean dmft and DMFT was 6.2(SD 3.39) and 1.04(SD 1.34) respectively. Regarding treatment needs in the primary dentition, 35.4% of teeth needed one surface filling, 34.7% needed extraction, 24.5% needed two or more surfaces filling and 5.6% needed pulp care. In the permanent dentition, 54.7% required sealants and 21.9% required one surface restoration. The caries prevalence and treatment needs were high among this study population in the mixed dentition stage, particularly showing the early involvement of newly erupted permanent teeth. It appears that high caries prevalence in the primary dentition is a risk factor for caries in newly erupted permanent teeth. Oral health promotions programmes are required in the mixed dentition stage and may reduce the risk of caries in permanent dentition.
The use of fluoride as a preventive measure for dental caries has been established more than 50 years ago. The recommendations for fluoride use has been modified over the years due to factors like decreased prevalence of caries, increased prevalence of dental fluorosis and the widespread availability of fluoride in various forms to the community. In recent years, the role of evidence-based recommendations has come to the forefront, in an attempt to ensure the most favorable treatment for the individual. This review has attempted to appraise the most recent evidence- based recommendations for different fluoride modalities put forth by various organizations worldwide, in order to appreciate the current status of fluoride in the early 21st century.
Given that the germline mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 confer genetic susceptibility to cancer, the
genetic variations, polymorphisms or mutations are widely analyzed in Western countries. However, in Asian
population, the prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 polymorphisms is very limited. In Asia, breast cancer occurs in
women early with an age of onset under 50 years. This review comprises the incidence of BRCA1 and BRCA2
polymorphisms in the Japanese, Korean and Malaysian population. Founder mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2
were also compared to mark the genetic difference in these populations. The mutational analysis performed to
analyze the entire coding region of BRCA1 and BRCA2 include the next generation sequencing and full
sequencing of all exons and intron-exon junctions. From the diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)
patients, TNBC is associated with the lack of tailored therapies and the treatment option available for TNBC
patients is mainly chemotherapy. The poor prognosis of TNBC leads to determine the predictive biomarkers in
order to develop treatment efficacy. This review will address the current clinical therapies available to treat TNBC
patients.
Prolonged work with highly repetitious flexion and extension of the wrist and forceful grip task were shown to increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among dental personnel. The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence, risk factors and coping strategies of probable CTS among clinical dental support staff in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). A cross-sectional study was conducted and a set of questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic status, work-related and psychosocial risk factors and coping strategies was distributed. Ninety-five clinical dental support staff completed and returned the questionnaire with a response rate of 80.5%. The prevalence of probable CTS was 38.9%, with the highest prevalence was found among dental surgery assistants (40.5%) followed by dental technologists (29.7%). There was no significant association between work-related or psychosocial risk factors with probable CTS (p>0.05). Most of the respondents with symptoms of CTS chose religion as the coping mechanism; mean 7.11 (SD 1.13). Awareness training should be emphasized among clinical dental support staff on the prevention of CTS.
Study site: Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM)
Upon reviewing the literature, the prevalence of many systemic conditions such as diabetes,
hypertension, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis were reported to be high in Saudi Arabia. The relationship of these
conditions with tooth loss among Saudi population was not investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study
is to explore the relationship between tooth loss and most common medical conditions among Saudi dental
patient. The study participants were 250 patients who were randomly selected from the College of Dentistry
database of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Participants were requested to answer self-administered questionnaires related to their demographic as well as
general health questions concerned to the presence of systemic medical conditions. Missing teeth were
determined after examining the orthopantogram radiographs and reviewing the Romexis and SALUD databases.
Descriptive statistics, independent t-test and linear multiple regression model were performed using SPSS
software. The mean number of missing teeth among the study population was 5.8 teeth per person. The mean
number of missing teeth was higher among subjects with diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis,
cardiovascular diseases, or osteoporosis compared to healthy individuals. A multiple linear regression analysis
model revealed that diabetes, hypertension and rheumatoid were significant predictors of missing teeth among
Saudi population. These results highlight the importance of the effect of medical conditions on oral health.