Dentistry for Nigerians with special needs: an overview

There are approximately 25 million residents with disabilities in Nigeria. Social inclusion of individuals with disabilities is difficult since societal views of these persons are in terms of charity and welfare rather than functioning members of a community. While there are no national studies of the dental needs of individuals with disabilities in Nigeria, there are reports of local studies of patients with disabilities which indicate a greater incidence of management difficulties as well as the need for improved oral hygiene and restorative services. Nevertheless, a study of practitioner involvement in the care of individuals with disabilities reported limited preparation of dental students to provide service for this population. Some organizations, such as the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Special Smiles and the Smile Train, have set up programmes, both educational and service, to address some of their oral health issues. It is recommended that there is a need to identify the availability of current dental service centers for individuals with disabilities, establish a national organization to stimulate an awareness of the varied needs of individuals with disabilities and real programs in schools to prepare dental students to care for individuals with disabilities. Examples of dental education accreditation standards in other countries are used as models for the improvement in the preparation of dental students to provide services for individuals with special needs.Key words: Disabilities, dental education, Nigeria, economic

Mesiodens: review of literature and management options for two cases

Mesiodens is a supernumerary tooth present in the midline between the two central incisors. It usually results in oral problems such as malocclusion, food impaction, poor aesthetics and cyst formation. In our environment, literature is scarce on the presentation and effects of this anomaly. This paper reviews the available literature from other places and reports two cases of mesiodens with different presentations in two young patients. Both cases presented with aesthetic and functional complaints. The differences in number, effects and management options are discussed. Early diagnosis and treatment is suggested, especially in children and adolescents to prevent further orthodontic and pathologic complications. Keywords: mesiodens, review, management Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 76-8

Pyogenic Granuloma of the facial skin: a case report

Pyogenic granuloma is an exophytic lesion which arises as a result of an exuberant connective tissue reaction to a known stimulus or injury. Common sites of presentation include oral mucosa, face and fingers. It may occour at any age but mostly in the second decade of life and more common in females. Surgical excision, Nd: YAG laser, flash lamp pulsed dye laser, intralesional injection of ethanol or corticosteroid and sodium tetradecyl sulfate sclerotherapy are treatment options which have been proposed for the lesion. Pyogenic granuloma of the facial skin has been rarely reported in our environment. This report describes the condition in a 10 year-old male referred for investigation of possible pathology from the teeth and management. It developed consequent to constant trauma to a pimple at the lower left border of the mandible. Predisposing factors, clinical features, histology and management are discussed. Keywords: Pyogenic granuloma, face, skinNigerian Dental Journal Vol. 15 (2) 2007: pp. 102-10

Utilization of dental services among secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of dental visits among secondary school students in Lagos State and to identify factors influencing the use of these services. Materials and Method: The study was a cross- sectional one comprising of secondary school students aged 10-19 years in Lagos State. They were selected by a multistage sampling method from 4 secondary schools in 2 (1 Urban and 1 Rural) Local Government Areas of the state. After obtaining an informed consent, a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was filled after by each student. Data were collected on their demographic characteristics, visit(s) to the dentist in the previous 12 months, reasons for these dental visits, factors preventing subsequent dental visit and barriers to visiting the dentist for those who made no previous visit. The data collected were analyzed with an SPSS version 11.5 using Chi square statistics to test for association and differences. Results: Five hundred and two students aged 10-19 years (mean 14.1 ± 0.22) participated in the study. The students had a dental visit prevalence of 14.9% in the previous 12 months, with 69.3% of the visits prompted by pain. The dental visit prevalence varied significantly with age (p = 0.019), being higher (18.1%) in the younger age group (10-14 years) than 10.5% in the older age group (15-19 years). Reasons for no previous visits ranged from “No dental problem” to “fear of the dentist. Eighteen out of the 75 who made previous dental visits were dissatisfied with the treatment received hence refused to visit again. Conclusion: The level of utilization of dental services was very low and the standard measure of one visit per year to the dentist was not met. There is need for a “School oral health program” which will promote oral health awareness and encourage routine dental checkups among these students. Keywords: Dental services, utilization, students, NigeriaNigerian Dental Journal Vol. 15 (2) 2007: pp. 87-9