METHODS: Data for this study were collected as part of a comprehensive, cross-sectional survey investigating oral health status and treatment needs of 12-year-old schoolchildren in Benghazi, Libya, between December 2016 and May 2017. Sociodemographic information was collected through a dental health questionnaire. The children were assessed for oral health status, including TDIs according to modified World Health Organization (WHO) classification criteria, in their classroom by trained and calibrated examiners. Anthropometric measures, lip competence and overjet were all assessed and reported. History of TDIs was sought among those affected. Logistic regression models were applied for TDIs as an outcome variable. The statistical significance for all tests was ≤0.05.

RESULTS: Data from 1134 participants were included in this study. TDIs were observed in 10.3% of the sample. Most of these TDIs were enamel fractures only (55.6%) and enamel and dentine fractures (35.9%). "Falling" was the most common cause of TDIs, accounting for 51% of cases. While increased overjet appeared to be associated with higher risk of TDIs (OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.29-2.86), being female (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.22-0.53) and overweight (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13-0.83) were also associated with lower risk of having TDIs.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey including 706 six-year-old children was conducted in 2017 in Benghazi, Libya. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire assessing socioeconomic status and oral health behaviours, and the Arabic version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (A-ECOHIS) to assess the OHRQoL. Clinical examination assessed caries experience at tooth level (dmft) and the number of decayed, missing due to caries and filled teeth (dt, mt and ft). Poisson regression analysis was performed to determine the association between dmft scores and the independent predictors. Linear regression analysis was conducted for ECOHIS scores with the children's gender, SES and OHB. The statistical significance was set to ≤  0.05.

RESULTS: Data were available for 706 children. Caries prevalence (dt) and dmft of ≥ 1 were 69.1% and 71% respectively. The mean ± SD dmft score was 3.23 ± 3.32. There was a significant and direct association between dmft scores and daily consumption of sugary snacks (B = 1.27, P = 0.011) and a significant inverse association with teethbrushing twice daily (B = 0.80, P = 0.041). There was a significant and direct association between A-ECOHIS and dmft (B = 1.14, P ≤ 0.001) and a significant and inverse association between A- ECOHIS and high and intermediate family income compared to low income (B = -3.82, P = 0.0001 and B = -2.06, P = 0.028).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 2,200 dentists from 21 countries. Three scales - Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and Affect Balance Scale (ABS) - were used to measure the subjective responses. Data related to demographic and social characteristics were recorded. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used as appropriate. Scales were correlated, and multiple linear regression analyses were employed to identify the independent determinants of SHS, SWLS and ABS. Data were analysed using the SPSS software program; a value of P <0.05 was considered significant.