Preventive Dentistry in Bosnian Private Dental Practices

Svrha istraživanja bila je ispitati stajališta, praksu i znanje općih stomatologa (GDPa) o primarnim preventivnim mjerama - profesionalnoj topikalnoj fluoridaciji, uputama za oralnu higijenu, uputama o prehrani te pečaćenju fisura - u liječenju pacijenata u ordinacijama. Zato je posebno pripremljen upitnik o preventivnoj stomatologiji poslan na adrese 57 privatnih stomatoloških ordinacija u sarajevskom kantonu (Bosna i Hercegovina), a vraćeno je 46 (80,7 %) ispunjenih. Svi ispitanici tvrdili su da primjenjuju neku od preventivnih mjera, ali samo 26 % napisalo je da se koriste svim preporučenim mjerama. Jedina mjera koju primjenjuju svi opći stomatolozi upute su za oralnu higijenu – 83 % njih topikalno primjenjuje fluoride, a rijetko 40,4 %. Većina redovito daje pacijentima upute o prehrani, a čak 15 % to uopće ne čini. Pečaćenje fisura primjenjuje 72 % ispitanih stomatologa. Svi ispitani znaju temeljna načela preventivne stomatologije, ali im ne posvećuju dovoljno pozornosti. Jedina preventivna mjera koju svi provode, upute su o oralnoj higijeni, a to čine uglavnom verbalno kao mini-predavanja. Profesionalna topikalna primjena fluorida obavlja se na djeci rutinski u stomatološkim ordinacijama. Najčešći savjet o prehrani je naputak da se što rjeđe jedu slastice i piju zaslađeni napici.The aim of this research was to investigate the private general dental practitioners’ (GDPs) attitudes, practice and knowledge to primary preventive measures (professional topical fluoridation, oral hygiene instructions, dietary advice and fissure sealing) in treating patients in their practices. Specially designed questionnaire concerning GDP’s attitudes, practice and knowledge of preventive dentistry related questions, was distributed to 57 private dental practices in Canton Sarajevo area, Bosnia and Herzegovina. There were 46 (80.7%) completed and returned questionnaires. All of the respondents claimed to have applied some sort of preventive measures in treating their patients, but only 26% of GDPs said they had used all of the recommended measures. The only preventive measure that all of GDPs reported using was giving oral hygiene advice/instruction; 83% of dentists applied topical fluoride, 40.4 % of which admitted to practicing it rarely. Most GDPs give diet counseling to patients regularly while some 15% of them don’t practice this at all. Seventy two per cent of dentists used fissure sealants. Surveyed dentists were familiar with basic principles of preventive dentistry, but they did not give enough importance to it in overall treatment of patients. The only preventive measure delivered by all general dental practitioners was oral health advice/instructions, usually given verbally in a form of mini-lectures. Professional topical fluoridation was performed generally on children, mostly on routine basis in dental practices. The most often given dietary advice was about decreasing total intake of sugary foods and drinks

Results of Paleostomatological Analysis of Material From the Cave Near Gornji Vakuf (South-West Bosnia)

Among explored speleological objects near the Krupa village, close to Gornji Vakuf, the most interesting cave from paleocultural aspect, is the cave named “Cave number 5”. In the internal part of that cave, besides ceramic fragments and one metal needle, rich anthropological material have been found, compounds of numerous humans bones and teeth. Anato-morphological analysis of the one part of material showed that this site is a prehistoric crypt with remains of at least 13 people. Radiocarbon 14C bone analysiss results showed that those people lived 2765 ± 75 before presence. The fact that anthropological material includes some remains which belonged to children shows some characteristics of burial culture of that period on area of Uskoplje. This cave crypt is the one of the biggest on this region. Paleostomatological analysis of teeth and jaw fragments gave us clear evidence about therapeutic interventions performed in this period. X-rays analysis showed presence of the metal body inside the bone in one mandibular fragment. It’s supposed that this metal is broken part of instrument used for tooth extraction

Oral Health Indices and Molar Incisor Hypomineralization in 12 Year Old Bosnians

Svrha je rada predstaviti prevalenciju zubnog karijesa, parodontnih stanja i razvojnih defekata u caklini te HKS kod djece iz Bosne i Hercegovine u dobi od 12 godina. Materijal i metode: U osam kantona Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine (FBH) te u Republici Srpskoj (RS) tijekom godine 2008. bila je provedena anketa. Konačan je uzorak sadržavao 560 dvanaestogodišnjaka. Parametri korišteni kako bi se izmjerio status oralnog zdravlja bili su indeksi: DMFT i SiC, te onaj razvojnih defekata u caklini (RDC). Procjenjene su također potrebe liječenja te zatečena hipomineralizacija kutnjaka i sjekutića (HKS). Jedna stomatološka ekipa klinički je obradila sve ispitanike u skladu s metologijom i kriterijima SZO-a, što znači običnim stomatološkim zrcalom i standardnom parodontnom sondom CPITN pod prirodnim svjetlom. Rezultati: prosječna vrijednost indeksa DMFT kod dvanaestogodišnjaka iznosila je 4,16 ± 2,92. U prosjeku je 91 posto ispitane djece u dobi od 12 godina imalo karijes. Indeks SiC iznosio je 7,41 ± 3,31. Među ispitanom djecom barem je 5,7 posto imalo najmanje jedan zub s fi surnim pečatnim ispunom. Zdravi je parodont imalo 43 posto dvanaestogodišnje djece. Prevalencija razvojnih defekata u caklini među dvanaestogodišnjom djecom iz Bosne i Hercegovine iznosila je 32,80 posto, a HKS-a 12,3 posto. Prosječan broj zuba zahvaćenih HKS-om bio je 5,59. Zaključak: ne zadovoljava status oralnoga zdravlja u Bosni i Hercegovini, nakon analize vrijednosti indeksa DMFT te stanje parodonta kod djece u dobi od 12 godina. Potrebna je prevencija na razini javnog zdravstva, a i promicanje oralnoga zdravlja.Objectives: To present the prevalence of dental caries, periodontal conditions, developmental defects of enamel and MIH in 12-year-olds in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH). Methods: A survey was carried out in 8 cantons of the Federation of BH (FBH) and in Republic Srpska (RS) in 2004. The fi nal sample included 560 twelve yearolds. The parameters used to measure oral health status were: DMFT index, SiC index, presence of sealants, community periodontal index and developmental defects of enamel index (DDE). Treatment needs were assessed as well as molar incisor hypomineralizations (MIH). One dental team clinically examined all subjects in line with WHO methodology and criteria, using plane dental mirror, standard CPITN periodontal probe under natural light. Results: The average DMFT of 12-year-olds was 4.16 ± 2.92. On the average, 91% of the 12-year-olds was affected with dental caries. The SiC Index was 7.41 ± 3.31. Among examined children, 5.7% had at least one tooth with a fi ssure sealant. 43% of 12-year-olds had healthy periodontium. The prevalence of developmental defects of enamel among BH twelve-yearoldswas 32.80%. The MIH prevalence was 12.3%. The average number of affected teeth with MIH was 5.59. Conclusions: Oral health status in BH observed through DMTF index values and condition of periodontium of 12-year-olds is unsatisfactory. Community-based prevention and oral health promotion are necessary

Longitudinal changes in the prevalence of dental fear and anxiety in 9–12-year-old children in clinical setting in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction: Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) is a ubiquitous entity among dental patients in terms of their prevalence and incidence. It is among the major clinical problems in dentistry. In addition, the differences in DFA prevalence were present considering the age and gender of patients and over time, but with some opposite reports. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of DFA presence in children concerning their age, gender, and over time. Methods: The survey sample comprised 200 of 9–12-year-old children. The DFA presence was determined twice by the modified version of the CFSS-DS scale (CFSS-DS-mod scale) during a 6-months long period between the first and the subsequent dental appointment due to the need for restorative dental treatment. The scale was applied before the restorative treatment started on both occasions. Results: The prevalence of DFA was 17.5% in the study sample and decreased over time. It was slightly higher in girls. Conclusions: The DFA prevalence in 9–12-year-old children is decreasing over time. Latent manifestations of DFA presence should be considered for evaluation in the future

Oral Health Related to Demographic Features in Bosnian Children Aged Six

The main aim of this paper is to present epidemiological indicators of oral health among six-year olds in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) and to analyze values of dmft index and dental treatment needs in order to identify differences in parts of the country. Another aim is to identify the needs from the public oral health care system in Bosnia and Herzegovina related to early permanent dentition by analyzing the condition of first permanent molars (FPM) as an indicator of oral health of permanent dentition. Survey was carried out in 2004 in 8 cantons of the Federation of BH (FBH) and in the Republic of Srpska (RS). Final sample included 560 participants aged six (mean 6.2, SD±0.87). One dental team clinically examined all participants according to WHO methodology and criteria. The parameters used were: dmft index, DMFT index of first permanent molars (FPM), presence of sealants and treatment needs. A questionnaire about oral health habits had been administered. Dmft was 6.71 in that the d-component constituted the major part of the index. DMFT index of FPM was 0.61 (SD±1.08). Percentage of caries free participants aged 6 was 6.8%. Average number of FPM with fissure sealants in BH was 0.25 (SD±0.78). Significant demographic differences in dmft index, DMFT FPM and treatment needs were identified. Most participants (48.5%) had their first dental visit between the ages of five and seven. National oral health goal for Bosnia and Herzegovina should be to develop and implement disease prevention programs based on education of both parents and dental practitioners. It is necessary to improve access to dental care and shift focus from curative to preventive procedures. It is also necessary to set real goals for improvement of oral health which can be achieved within a desired time frame, as well as to precisely define measures to be taken

Evaluation of Dental Fear and Anxiety in Displaced Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Uvod: U Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH), uz stalno stanovništvo, živi i određen broj raseljenih osoba. Najviše ih je na području Tuzlanskog kantona. Oni se ubrajaju u rizičnu skupinu kad je riječ o bolestima općenito, pa i o orofacijalnima. Dentalni strah i anksioznost (DSA) pojavljuje se nužno i kod raseljenih osoba i velik je u odnosu na opću populaciju. Na osnovi navedenoga željeli smo evaluirati prisutnost DSA-e i čimbenika za njezin nastanak kod raseljenog stanovništva u Bosni i Hercegovini. Ispitanici i metode: U studiji je sudjelovalo 310 osoba u dobi od 35 do 44 godine, a bile su podijeljene u ispitivanu skupinu raseljenih osoba (n = 153) i kontrolnu skupinu domicilnog stanovništva (n = 157) iz gradova Tuzlanskog kantona. Kod ispitanika se procjenjivala prisutnost DSA-e s pomoću prilagođene Korahove ljestvice dentalne anksioznosti te prisutnost čimbenika za njezin nastanak. Rezultati: U uzorku je ustanovljena općenito visoka prevalencija DSA-e (38,71 %), a posebno u skupini raseljenih osoba (57,52 %). Pritom raseljeni u uzorku rjeđe posjećuju stomatologa, uglavnom samo kada je to potrebno (najčešće zbog odontalgije) i snažnije reagiraju na stresore koji mogu uzrokovati DSA-e. Zaključak: Raseljene osobe ubrajaju se u rizičnu skupinu s visokom prevalencijom DSA-e. To je mogući razlog da ova populacijska skupina ima prosječno lošije parametre oralnoga zdravlja te lošije uzorke ponašanja sa stajališta učestalosti posjeta i razloga za posjete stomatologu. Sve to pojačava začarani krug u kojemu loše oralno zdravlje pospješuje pojavu DSA-e i obrnuto.Introduction: In Bosnia and Herzegovina, apart from domicile population, there is a certain number of displaced persons. Most of them are situated in the area of Canton Tuzla. These persons are generally at risk of and being watched for various diseases, including the disease of the orofacial area. Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) is also inevitably present in displaced persons, with higher prevalence compared with general population. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate the DFA presence and the most common reasons for dental fear and anxiety in displaced persons in our country. Patients and methods: 310 interviewed persons were included in this study, aged 35 to 44 years, from several cities of Canton Tuzla. They were divided in the group of displaced persons (n=153), and the group of domicile inhabitants (n=157). The study participants were interviewed about the DFA presence, as well as about the risk factors for DFA, which was subsequently evaluated by the Modified Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale. Results: A high prevalence of DFA presence was determined in the total sample (38.71%), and particularly in the displaced persons group (57.52%). The results showed that displaced persons rarely visited dentists, mainly when it was necessary (odontalgia), with stronger reactions to factors that could cause DFA appearance. Conclusion: Displaced persons are regarded as one of the highest risk groups for prevalence of DFA. This could be mainly due to poor oral health status, rare dental office visits and the urgent need for dental treatment, which could lead to vicious circle of mutual strengthening between bad oral health and DFA appearance

Znanja, navike i stavovi medicinskih sestara / tehničara Kliničkog bolničkog centra Rijeka o oralnom zdravlju

Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate oral health knowledge, attitudes and habits regarding oral health among nurses and to evaluate if there is a difference in self-reported oral health behavior in relation to the degree of professional education. Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of 100 subjects, both gender, aged 22 to 62. The respondents were nurses with completed secondary school (49%) and nurses with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in nursing (51%). The study was conducted via the Croatian version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire. Results: Nurses with a bachelor’s or master’s degree had a significantly higher HU-DBI score than nurses with completed secondary school (p=0.033). Statistically significant difference was found in the following questions: I brush each of my teeth carefully (p=0.026), I put off going to the dentist until I have a toothache (p=0.008) and I have had my dentist tell me that I brush very well (p=0.016). Conclusion: The obtained results show that healthcare professionals with higher education (bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing) have more knowledge on oral health and that they apply this knowledge in their daily oral hygiene routine

Attitude, knowledge and practice of pediatricians in the prevention of early childhood caries

Background/Aim: The aim of the research was to examine the general attitude, knoweledge and practice of pediatricians about caries in children of preschool age. Material and Methods: The research was conducted from November 2019 to the end of January 2020. The research consisted of a survey of pediatricians. The questionnaire consisted of 4 modules and 37 questions, which related to the attitude, knowledge and practice of pediatricians on the prevention of early childhood caries. Results: The majority of pediatricians (84.9%) stated that they assess the nutrition of their patients, while 32.1% of them always do oral health assessment, and half of them in the second month of the child's life; and 39.6% assess oral health only if there is a problem. The majority of pediatricians (86.8%) recommended the first dental examination, most often in the first year of the child's life (79.5%), and then every 6 months (43.5%). The majority of respondents did not required information about the dental health of their patients' mothers, fluoride toothpastes and topical application of fluoride as well (62.3-75.5%). The majority of pediatricians (79.2%) have never provided or sometimes provided educational material on caries prevention and control to the parents of their patients. The most accurate answers and the highest percentage of correct answers that the pediatricians had were about attitudes (Z=8.98, 66.63%), while the fewest correct answers and the lowest percentage of correct answers regarding the practices on the prevention of early childhood caries (Z=11.91, 58.90%). Conclusions: The research showed that pediatricians have the good attitudes and knowledge, but do not implement prevention of early childhood caries in practice. The basic deficiency of attitude, knowledge and perception of the importance of prevention is a consequence of insufficient education of pediatricians