MyMedR

Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 245 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Barriers to utilization of oral health care services among antenatal mothers in Kuantan, Pahang [Abstract]

Zurainie Ablla, Karimah Hanim Abdul Aziz, Nurjasmine Aida Jamani

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2017;16(21):40.
MyJurnal

Introduction: During pregnancy, increased acidity in the mouth increases the risk of antenatal mother to get dental caries. It is worsen if antenatal mother has morning sickness like vomiting during pregnancy. It can aggravate the problem by exposing the teeth to more gastric acid. In addition, antenatal mothers have hormonal changes that they are more susceptible to periodontal problems. Therefore, it is important for antenatal mother to get dental treatment and use oral health service. This study aim is to describe barriers to utilisation of oral health care services among antenatal mothers attending the Klinik Kesihatan Ibu dan Anak around Kuantan. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study which was conducted among purposely selected 296 antenatal mothers aged 18-45 years from Kuantan, Pahang in 18 months duration. Study used validated self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on the variables of interest. Results: Common barriers to utilization of services among antenatal mothers are fear to dental pain (45.6%), time constraints- busy at workplace (36.5%) and feeling of not having any dental problems (36.1%). Meanwhile the least barrier to oral health care services among antenatal mothers is attitude of the dentist (0.7%), followed by attitude of the staff (1.4%) and condition of treatment room (1.7%) Conclusion(s): Fear of dental pain is the main barrier to utilization of service among antenatal mothers and dissatisfaction of the service provided is the least barrier among other factors.
KEYWORDS: barriers, antenatal, pregnant mothers, dental caries, periodontal

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Biofilm in endodontics: A review

Jhajharia K, Parolia A, Shetty KV, Mehta LK

J Int Soc Prev Community Dent, 2015 Jan-Feb;5(1):1-12.
PMID: 25767760 DOI: 10.4103/2231-0762.151956

Endodontic disease is a biofilm-mediated infection, and primary aim in the management of endodontic disease is the elimination of bacterial biofilm from the root canal system. The most common endodontic infection is caused by the surface-associated growth of microorganisms. It is important to apply the biofilm concept to endodontic microbiology to understand the pathogenic potential of the root canal microbiota as well as to form the basis for new approaches for disinfection. It is foremost to understand how the biofilm formed by root canal bacteria resists endodontic treatment measures. Bacterial etiology has been confirmed for common oral diseases such as caries and periodontal and endodontic infections. Bacteria causing these diseases are organized in biofilm structures, which are complex microbial communities composed of a great variety of bacteria with different ecological requirements and pathogenic potential. The biofilm community not only gives bacteria effective protection against the host's defense system but also makes them more resistant to a variety of disinfecting agents used as oral hygiene products or in the treatment of infections. Successful treatment of these diseases depends on biofilm removal as well as effective killing of biofilm bacteria. So, the fundamental to maintain oral health and prevent dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis is to control the oral biofilms. From these aspects, the formation of biofilms carries particular clinical significance because not only host defense mechanisms but also therapeutic efforts including chemical and mechanical antimicrobial treatment measures have the most difficult task of dealing with organisms that are gathered in a biofilm. The aim of this article was to review the mechanisms of biofilms' formation, their roles in pulpal and periapical pathosis, the different types of biofilms, the factors influencing biofilm formation, the mechanisms of their antimicrobial resistance, techniques to identify biofilms.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Bisphosphonates, healthcare professionals and oral health

Raj DV, Abuzar M, Borromeo GL

Gerodontology, 2016 Mar;33(1):135-43.
PMID: 25039439 DOI: 10.1111/ger.12141

OBJECTIVE: General medical and dental practitioner and pharmacists all encounter patients on bisphosphonates and as such require adequate knowledge regarding osteonecrosis of the jaw, a potential complication associated with its use. The cross-sectional study investigated perceived implications of and attitudes towards bisphosphonate use in oral health among general medical and dental practitioners and pharmacists.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical and dental practitioners and pharmacists registered in Victoria, Australia, completed an online survey (SurveyMonkey©). Data analysis consisted of chi-square tests with significance as p < 0.05.
RESULTS: One hundred and thirty six doctors (general medical practitioners, GMPs), 283 dentists (GDPs) and 26 pharmacists (PHs) participated. 70, 38 and 80%, respectively, reviewed patients prescribed bisphosphonates (BPs). GMPs (88%), GDPs (76%) and PHs (85%) were aware of osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ). GMPs (76%) and PHs (100%) advised patients to inform dentists. GMPs (45%) referred patients for dental assessments prior to commencing BPs with 71.9% of GDPs received such referrals. In terms of available information on oral health and BPs, GMPs (56%), GDPs (50%) and PH (53.8%) were either unsure any existed or reported receiving sufficient information.
CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies exist amongst different healthcare professionals in terms of BP use and oral health, and common consensus guidelines are warranted.
KEYWORDS: bisphosphonates; clinical guidelines; drug therapy; oral health; osteonecrosis.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health*
Fulltext CRP and IL-6 levels of gingival crevicular fluid in stroke survivors: a pilot study

Normaliza Ab. Malik, Sa’ari Mohamad Yatim, Lijian Jin, Colman McGrath

Journal of Clinical and Health Sciences, 2019;4(1):30-38.
MyJurnal

The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and
interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) among stroke survivors in relation to
the oral hygiene status and stroke characteristics. Methods: A multi-centre cross-sectional
study was conducted among hospitalised stroke survivors. Socio-demographic data were
collected. Oral clinical assessment (dental plaque scores) and functional dependency levels
scores were carried out. Gingival Crevicular Fluids were collected, using absorbent papers
and analysed using ELISA kit. Descriptive statistic and correlation analyses were performed
using proportion and Spearmen correlation coefficient test. Results: A total of 53 patients were
recruited from five public hospitals. There was a significant correlation between CRP and IL-6
levels of GCF (P=0.021, r=0.21). A significant correlation was also observed between CRP
levels in GCF with dental plaque scores and functional dependency levels. There was no
statistically significant correlation found between IL-6 levels in GCF with dental plaque scores
and functional dependency levels. Dental plaque scores were associated with high levels of
CRP in GCF (P=0.014), and swallowing problem was associated with high levels of IL-6 in
GCF (P=0.002). Conclusions: IL-6 levels in GCF were correlated with the levels of CRP in
GCF. High CRP and IL-6 levels in GCF were significantly associated with dental plaque scores
and swallowing condition (presence of dysphagia), respectively. Thus, this pilot study suggests
that CRP level in the oral cavity respond to the oral health conditions and may not be a
predictor factor of stroke outcomes. Further studies are warranted to compare the level of
inflammatory biomarkers from the oral cavity and serum in relation to the stroke conditions and
outcomes.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Cardiovascular drugs-induced oral toxicities: A murky area to be revisited and illuminated

Balakumar P, Kavitha M, Nanditha S

Pharmacol Res, 2015 Dec;102:81-9.
PMID: 26409645 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.09.007

Oral health is an imperative part of overall human health. Oral disorders are often unreported, but are highly troublesome to human health in a long-standing situation. A strong association exists between cardiovascular drugs and oral adverse effects. Indeed, several cardiovascular drugs employed clinically have been reported to cause oral adverse effects such as xerostomia, oral lichen planus, angioedema, aphthae, dysgeusia, gingival enlargement, scalded mouth syndrome, cheilitis, glossitis and so forth. Oral complications might in turn worsen the cardiovascular disease condition as some reports suggest an adverse correlation between periodontal oral disease pathogenesis and cardiovascular disease. These are certainly important to be understood for a better use of cardiovascular medicines and control of associated oral adverse effects. This review sheds lights on the oral adverse effects pertaining to the clinical use of cardiovascular drugs. Above and beyond, an adverse correlation between oral disease and cardiovascular disease has been discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Care to care: an innovative oral health educational method for patients with hearing and/or speech impairment

Mas Suryalis Ahmad, Fouad Hussain Al-Bayaty, Farhana Abdul Ghani

Malaysian Dental Journal, 2016;39(1):26-34.
MyJurnal

People with hearing and/or speech impairments (HSI) reported having difficulty communicating with the dental team, indicating the need for the profession to develop an effective communication strategy when dealing with these patients. This paper discusses the development of a toolkit designed to guide delivery of oral hygiene instruction, oral health education and dental consultation for patients with HSI, and how its use had resulted in an improved oral health outcome in a patient with such disabilities.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Caregivers' perceptions towards oral healthcare services for elders living in Malaysian nursing homes-A qualitative study

Letchumanan D, Mohamad Norpi N, Yusof ZYM, Razak IA, Abu Kasim NH, Abdullah NA, et al.

Gerodontology, 2020 Dec;37(4):332-341.
PMID: 32115787 DOI: 10.1111/ger.12466

OBJECTIVE: To assess the perceptions of caregivers towards oral healthcare services received by elders in Malaysian nursing homes and to identify challenges and suggestions for improvement.
BACKGROUND: Caregivers play an important role in the oral health care of elders in nursing homes.
METHODS: This study employed a qualitative approach using the nominal group technique (NGT) to obtain caregivers' feedback in nursing homes in Malaysia. Data were manually transcribed, summarised into keywords/key phrases, and ranked using weighted scores.
RESULTS: In total, 36 caregivers (21 from government and 15 from private nursing homes) participated in the NGT sessions. Overall, caregivers were satisfied with the low treatment cost, the quality of treatment, and the availability of dental visits to nursing homes. Caregivers were dissatisfied with the frequency of dental visits, long waiting times at government dental clinics, and inadequate denture hygiene education for elders in nursing homes. The challenges faced by caregivers were elders' poor oral health knowledge and attitude and lack of elders' trust of caregivers to look after their oral health. Suggestions for improvement were to increase the frequency of dental visits to nursing homes, provide oral health education to elders and caregivers, and give treatment priority to elders at dental clinics.
CONCLUSION: Despite being satisfied with the basic oral healthcare services received by elders in Malaysian nursing homes, caregivers raised some issues that required further attention. Suggestions for improvement include policy changes in nursing home dental visits and treatment priority for elders at government dental clinics.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Challenges in dental public health – an overview

Pau, Allan Kah-Heng

International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education, 2012;6(10):0-0.
MyJurnal

Oral health diseases are common in all regions of the world and their impact on anatomical
and social functioning is widely acknowledged.Their distributions are unequal between and within countries, with the greatest burden falling on disadvantaged and socially marginalized populations. The risk factors and social determinants for oral diseases have been comprehensively documented, and the evidence base for their prevention is growing. However, decisions on health care are still often made without a solid grounding in research evidence. Translation of research into policy and practice should be a priority for all. Both community and individual interventions need tailoring to achieve a more equal and person-centered preventive focus and reduce any social gradient in health. The major challenges of the future will be to translate knowledge and experiences in oral disease prevention
and health promotion into action programmes.The international oral health research community needs to engage further in research capacity building and in strengthening the work so that research is recognized as the foundation of oral health policy at global level.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Chief dentists' perceived strengths and weaknesses of oral health promotion activities in Malaysia

Ab Murat, N., Watt, R.G.

Ann Dent, 2006;13(1):1-5.
MyJurnal

The main aim of this study is to get the Malaysian chief dentists’ perceptions of the oral health promotion activities currently taking place in their respective states in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of these activities. A qualitative method using an open-ended questionnaire was used to obtain this information. The study samples consist of all the chief dentists in Malaysia who represented a majority of population in their states. The results showed that the main current oral health promotion activities is dental health education talks which aims to disseminate oral health information through health education talks, toothbrushing drills, dental exhibition, pamphlets, brochures and publications. Half of the respondents felt that the commitment of the staff, the support of the public sectors and collaboration with other agencies are the main strengths while the lack of staff and fund has been said as the weaknesses. A range of opportunities however exist to strengthen oral health promotion in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Clinical benefits and adverse effects of siwak (S. persica) use on periodontal health: a scoping review of literature

Ramli H, Mohd-Dom TN, Mohd-Said S

BMC Oral Health, 2021 Dec 03;21(1):618.
PMID: 34861857 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-021-01950-0

BACKGROUND: Siwak is a chewing stick used as an oral hygiene aid associated with Muslim communities across the globe since more than 1500 years ago. Used either exclusively or in conjunction with a regular toothbrush, there is evidence supporting its clinical effectiveness in plaque control, but adverse effects on periodontal health remains inconclusive.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically review the wide range of data and literatures related to siwak practice and its effect on periodontal health.
METHOD: The review was conducted based on scoping review techniques, searching literature in EBSCOHOST, PubMed, SCOPUS and Google scholar databases using the following search terms: "siwak' or 'miswak' or 'chewing stick" for intervention, and "periodontium or 'periodontal' or 'periodontal health' or 'periodontal disease" for outcome. Articles published between January 1990 to March 2021 and written in English language were included.
RESULTS: A total of 721 articles collected from the search and 21 of them were eligible for the final analysis. Results of this study was described based on clinical and antibacterial reporting of siwak, method of siwak practice and its adverse effect on oral health. Siwak was found effective at removing dental plaque and improving periodontal health over time although its effect on subgingival microbiota was inconclusive. Presence of gingival recession and clinical attachment loss were much more commonly reported in siwak users, attributable to variations in the methods employed for tooth cleaning using the siwak.
CONCLUSION: There is substantial evidence that the lack of standardised reporting for effective siwak use may have resulted in contradictory findings about its oral hygiene benefits and adverse effects. As such, future work on safe and effective siwak practice is to be advocated among its users.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Cobalt chromium denture designs in general practice

Mahmood, W.A., Mohd. Sidek, M.F.

Ann Dent, 2001;8(1):-.
MyJurnal

This is a preliminary survey on cast partial denture designs in the commercial dental laboratories. This survey was carried out for a month in three commercial dental laboratories in Klang Valley and Shah Alam which produce metal dentures in cobalt-chromium. One hundred and ten questionnaires with the designs were collected and analysed. The framework design on the cast was transferred into the design sheet section of the questionnaire. The aim was to investigate communication regarding denture design between clinicians and dental technician and the dentists' dependency on the technician. The design of cobalt-chromium partial dentures in relation to oral health was also assessed. The results indicated that 43.6% of the dentist who used the three laboratories delegated their removable partial design work to the dental technician. More than half of the dentists had some communication with the technicians, and only 18.2 % of the dentists prescribed clear instructions with details of components regarding denture design. Continuing dental education on partial denture design for both clinicians and dental technicians would be of value to provide reinforcement in the knowledge of the basic concept on denture designing. Communication and understanding between both parties would probably improve the quality of cobalt-chromium dentures constructed.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Common diseases of children as seen in the general hospital, Singapore

Williams CD

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1938;2:113-23.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Community Pharmacist's Role in Providing Oral Health-care Services: Findings from Malaysia

Blebil A, Dujaili J, Elkalmi R, Tan HLK, Tai MS, Khan TM

J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2020 01 29;12(1):64-71.
PMID: 32801602 DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_152_19

Introduction: Pharmacists have been well recognized as an active and have a more integrated role in the preventive services within the National Health Services. This study assessed the community pharmacists' attitudes, beliefs, and practices toward oral health in the Malaysian setting.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was used to conduct this project. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was developed and distributed among community pharmacists within Kuala Lumpur and Selangor states areas, Malaysia. The data collection was carried out from the beginning of November to the end of December 2018.
Results: Of the 255 pharmacists, 206 agreed to participate in the study, yielding a response rate of 80.8%. Overall, approximately half of the pharmacists provided two to five oral health consultations per week and two to five over the counter (OTC) oral health products recommendations per week. The main services provided by community pharmacists in were the provision of OTC treatments (93.7%), referral of consumers to dental or medical practitioners when appropriate (82.5%), and identify signs and symptoms of oral health problems in patients (77.2%). In addition, more than 80% of the pharmacists viewed positively and supported integrating oral health promotion and preventive measures into their practices. The most commonly reported barriers to extending the roles of pharmacists in oral health care include lack of knowledge or training in this field, lack of training resources, and lack of oral health educational promotion materials.
Conclusion: The study shows that community pharmacists had been providing a certain level of oral health services and play an important role in oral health. The findings highlighted the need of an interprofessional partnership between the pharmacy professional bodies with Malaysian dental associations to develop, and evaluate evidence-based resources, guidelines, the scope of oral health in pharmacy curricula and services to deliver improved oral health care within Malaysian communities.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Community indicator for caries experience among schoolchildren in Kuala Lumpur: an ecological study

Asma’, M., Saub, R.

Ann Dent, 2010;17(1):15-20.
MyJurnal

The aim of the present study is to determine the “community indicator” for dental caries among secondary school children within the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (FTKL). School factors were investigated for their ability to be used as community indicators. The components encompassing school factors include: type of school, school’s examination performances at the Peperiksaan Menengah Rendah (PMR) level, in the subjects of Mathematics, Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language), Science and English, school’s socioeconomic circumstances and school’s material deprivation. The study design is ecological in nature where schools were the unit of analysis. It used aggregated data for caries experiences acquired from the Oral Health Management Information System and the school factors which were extracted from the schools’ database. The subjects involved in this study were all the (75) day type secondary schools in FTKL. However, only 55 schools had complete information both for the dental caries factor and the school factors which were available for analysis. The use of bivariate analysis suggested that the school mean DMFT was significantly associated with the schools’ performance in English (p= 0.02) and the schools’ socioeconomic code (p= 0.005). The schools’ performance in English and socioeconomic code were able to explain about 10 percent and 14 percent of the variation in the school mean DMFT respectively. The final model that included both variables together explained about 17 percent of the variation in school mean DMFT. As a conclusion, this study suggests that the schools’ performance in English at the PMR level and the schools’ socioeconomic code could be used as community indicator to identify secondary schools with higher caries level in FTKL. Nevertheless, further
improvement of the model is needed in order to create a more reliable indicator.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Comparison of two methods in deriving a short version of oral health-related quality of life measure

Saub R, Locker D, Allison P

Community Dent Health, 2008 Sep;25(3):132-6.
PMID: 18839717

To compare two methods of developing short forms of the Malaysian Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-M) measure.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health*
Fulltext Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Oral Health Literacy Instrument (OHLI) for Malaysian Adults

Ramlay MZ, Saddki N, Tin-Oo MM, Arifin WN

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 07 28;17(15).
PMID: 32731318 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155407

Currently, the availability of a functional oral health literacy instrument in the Malay language is limited. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt Oral Health Literacy Instrument (OHLI) into the Malay language and to determine its psychometric properties in Malaysian adults. Cross-cultural adaptation of the OHLI into the Malay version (OHLI-M) was conducted according to a guideline, followed by a cross-sectional study among outpatients in a selected health clinic. The psychometric evaluations were the comparison of the OHLI-M scores by education levels and last dental visits, the correlation of the reading comprehension section of OHLI-M with the Malay version of the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA-M), the correlation of OHLI-M with decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI), and the test-retest reliability of OHLI-M. A total of 195 outpatients participated in this study. The OHLI-M scores were significantly different between participants with different levels of education and timing since last dental visit. Participants with lower secondary school qualification and below, and those whose last dental visit was more than two years ago or never, had significantly lower OHLI-M scores. There was a positive correlation between the reading comprehension scores of the OHLI-M and the S-TOFHLA-M (Spearman's rho = 0.37, p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between the OHLI-M scores and the DMFT index scores or the CPI scores. The internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83 to 0.88). The test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation = 0.80 to 0.86). The OHLI-M showed good validity and reliability among adults in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health*
Cross-bite and oral health related quality of life in young people

Masood M, Masood Y, Newton T

J Dent, 2014 Mar;42(3):249-55.
PMID: 24373852 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2013.12.004

This study sought to assess the impact of posterior cross-bite on OHRQoL in young people aged 15-25 and to determine whether the impact on higher domains of Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (physical disability, psychological disability, social disability and handicap) is a direct function of the cross-bite or mediated through the lower domains of OHIP-14 (functional limitation, pain and discomfort).

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health*
Cross-cultural adaptation of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) for the Malaysian adult population

Saub R, Locker D, Allison P, Disman M

Community Dent Health, 2007 Sep;24(3):166-75.
PMID: 17958078

The aim of this project was to develop an oral health related-quality of life measure for the Malaysian adult population aged 18 and above by the cross-cultural adaption the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP).

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health*
Fulltext Demographic and socioeconomic inequalities in oral healthcare utilisation in Malaysia: evidence from a national survey

Tan YR, Tan EH, Jawahir S, Mohd Hanafiah AN, Mohd Yunos MH

BMC Oral Health, 2021 01 19;21(1):34.
PMID: 33468125 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-020-01388-w

BACKGROUND: Throughout the years, oral healthcare utilisation in Malaysia has been low despite various efforts by the Ministry of Health Malaysia for improvement. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of oral healthcare utilisation and identify factors associated with oral healthcare utilisation among adults in Malaysia.
METHODS: Secondary data analysis of adults aged 18 years and over from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 was conducted in this study. Characteristics of respondents and those who utilised oral healthcare were described using complex sample descriptive statistics. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the dependent and independent variables. Dependent variable was oral healthcare utilisation in the last 12 months. Independent variables were demographic and socioeconomic factors (predisposing, enabling and need characteristics) based on Andersen's Behavioural Model.
RESULTS: A total of 11,308 respondents, estimated to represent 21.7 million adults aged 18 years and over in Malaysia were included in the analysis. Prevalence of oral healthcare utilisation in the last 12 months was 13.2%. Demographic factors of sex, age, marital status, and socioeconomic factors of education level and occupation as well as health belief such as medical check-up were significantly related to oral healthcare utilisation. Enabling factor of household income quintile had significant association with oral healthcare utilisation. Inequalities were observed; females (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.25, 1.96), younger adults (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.15, 2.33), those who were married (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.23, 2.22), those with higher education (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.23, 3.99), those who had medical check-up in the last 12 months (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.53, 2.25) and those with higher income (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.96) were more likely to utilise oral healthcare.
CONCLUSION: Understanding factors associated with utilisation of oral healthcare could help in formulating effective interventions to improve oral healthcare utilisation. Demographic and socioeconomic factors are strong determinants of oral healthcare utilisation in Malaysia. Appropriate interventions to strengthen the existing programmes aimed to promote regular and timely oral health check-ups are needed to improve oral healthcare utilisation.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health
Fulltext Dental Home Visits for Caries Prevention Among Preschool Children: Protocol for a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis on a Randomized Control Trial

Andiesta NS, Hamid MA, Lee K, Pau A

JMIR Res Protoc, 2018 Jun 06;7(6):e10053.
PMID: 29875086 DOI: 10.2196/10053

BACKGROUND: In 2012, nearly 4000 children in Malaysia were referred to hospital pediatric dental services due to dental caries. Recent research has reported the effectiveness of dental home visits in preventing caries development in young children. Dental home visits (DHVs) are described as an ongoing relationship between the dentist and their patients, providing all aspects of a preventive oral health care program in the presence of the parents at home.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dental home visits and oral health information, in the form of educational leaflets, in preventing new caries development in young children, compared to those receiving only educational leaflets over a period of two years. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dental home visits.
METHODS: This is a collaborative project with the Oral Health Division of the Ministry of Health Malaysia. The Oral Health Division will provide access to a subsample from the National Oral Health of Preschoolers Survey which was carried out in 2015. The population of interest is children aged 5 and 6 years from kindergartens in the Selangor state of Malaysia. The study adopted a societal perspective for cost-effectiveness analysis and all types of resources that are of value to society will be included in analyzing the costs; such as cost to the patient, cost to the provider or institution, and indirect costs because of loss of productivity.
RESULTS: The trial has been approved by the International Medical University Malaysia's Joint Research and Ethics Committee (Project ID: IMU R157-2014 [File III - 2016]). This trial is currently recruiting participants.
CONCLUSIONS: The number of young children in Malaysia who have been referred to the hospital children's dentistry service for severe caries is disturbing. The cost of dental treatment in young children is high due to the severity of the caries which require an aggressive treatment, and the need for general anesthesia or sedation. This study will provide information on the cost and effectiveness of DHVs in caries prevention of young children in Malaysia.
REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER: RR1-10.2196/10053.

Matched MeSH terms: Oral Health

Filters

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links