THE PREVALENCE OF MALOCCLUSION AND ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEED IN A SAMPLE OF SYRIAN CHILDREN

Knowledge of a population’s epidemiological situation is vital in planning and provision of dental health services. The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in Syrian children. A randomly selected sample of 200 Syrian children aged between 8 and 13 years was collected from three different public schools in Damascus. For each participant, the records were a pair of dental study casts and a frontal intra-oral photograph. Firstly, Angle’s classification was used to classify malocclusion and the treatment need was assessed utilizing the Aesthetic Component (AC) and the Dental Health Component (DHC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). The treatment demand was also evaluated in association with gender and the connection between the two components of IOTN was statistically ascertained. The results of the study showed that more than one third of the subjects in the sample were in moderate to great need for orthodontic treatment. No significant difference in treatment need was found between genders and a statistically significant association was expressed between the two components of IOTN

Narghile (water pipe) smoking among university students in Jordan: prevalence, pattern and beliefs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background and objectives</p> <p>Narghile is becoming the favorite form of tobacco use by youth globally. This problem has received more attention in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and pattern of narghile use among students in three public Jordanian universities; to assess their beliefs about narghile's adverse health consequences; and to evaluate their awareness of oral health and oral hygiene.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was a cross-sectional survey of university students. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was distributed randomly to university students in three public Jordanian universities during December, 2008. The questionnaire was designed to ask specific questions that are related to smoking in general, and to narghile smoking in specific. There were also questions about oral health awareness and oral hygiene practices.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>36.8% of the surveyed sample indicated they were smokers comprising 61.9% of the male students and 10.7% of the female students in the study sample. Cigarettes and narghile were the preferred smoking methods among male students (42%). On the other hand, female students preferred narghile only (53%). Parental smoking status but not their educational level was associated with the students smoking status. Smokers had also significantly poor dental attendance and poor oral hygiene habits.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study confirmed the spreading narghile epidemic among young people in Jordan like the neighboring countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region. Alarming signs were the poor oral health awareness among students particularly smokers.</p