Subjective prosthodontic treatment need, tooth loss and associated factors among dental patients in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Background: A full complement of teeth has been shown to be a prerequisite for a healthy masticatory system and satisfactory function and having tooth loss can be undesirable.Objective: To determine the subjective prosthodontic treatment need, tooth loss and associated factors among patients attending dental clinics in Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among subjects with tooth loss aged 18 years and above attending public dental clinics in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. A questionnaire and clinical examination were used to obtain data. Chi-Square test and logistic regression analyses were performed and a p-value of ≤0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: Majority of the 402 participants were aged 18-34 years (52.2%), females (64.9%) and with primary level of education or less (52.2%). Subjective prosthodontic treatment need was indicated by more than half of the participants 54.2%) and those who lost 4 or more teeth and those who lost teeth upper anterior had higher odds of expressing subjective treatment need (OR=2.6; CI=1.5-4.3 & OR=4.9; CI=2.2-10.8 respectively).Conclusions: This study highlights that having four or more missing teeth and having tooth loss in the anterior location of the upper jaw were significant contributing factors in expressing patient’s subjective prosthodontic treatment need. Keywords: Subjective prosthodontic treatment need; tooth loss; dental patients; Dar es salaam; Tanzania

Relationship between oral health knowledge, practices and oral health status of students, Tanga Tanzania

Background: Studies have shown that strong knowledge on oral health demonstrates better oral care practice and an association between increased knowledge and better oral health exists. Aim: To assess the influence of oral health knowledge and oral care practices to oral health status of secondary school students in Tanga, Tanzania. Subjects and Methods: A structured questionnaire was used to assess students’ oral health knowledge and oral care practices while oral health status was determined by a clinical examination. Bi-variate and logistic regression analyses were done and level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: 785 students participated in the study. Proportionately more students who reported to use charcoal, salt/or sand to clean their teeth (66.9%) were significantly more likely to be caries free compared to those who reported to use toothpaste (51.2%), (p= 0.001). Students who reported to brush their teeth after breakfast (57.5%) and/or having visited a dentist within the past 12 months (58.8%) were more likely to have one or more decayed teeth than their counterparts (45.2%), (p= 0.049) and (38.1%) (p= 0.0001) respectively. With the exception of using dental floss (p= 0.023), there were no statistical significant relationships between oral health knowledge, oral care practices with supra-gingival calculus accumulation. In logistic regression analysis students who reported to have visited a dentist during the past twelve months (OR= 2.32; 95% CI 1.728-3.115, p=0.0001), or used fluoridated tooth paste as an adjuvant while brushing their teeth (OR= 1.931; 95% CI 1.272-2.932, p= 0.002) were more likely to have at least one decayed tooth than their counterparts. Conclusion: Participants’ knowledge on oral health issues has no influence on oral health status, visiting a dentist is associated with presence of dental caries and participants’ who reported to use charcoal, salt and/or sand are more likely to have less caries than those using toothpaste

Prevalence of early childhood caries, risk factors and nutritional status among 3-5-year-old preschool children in Kisarawe, Tanzania.

BackgroundEarly childhood dental caries (ECC), a serious public health problem lacks information on the association between ECC, risk factors and nutritional status among children in Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of ECC, risk factors and nutritional status among 3-5-year-old preschool children and to assess its correlation with the form, visible plaque scores in upper anterior teeth, total sugar exposure, anthropometric measures, and socio demographic attributes.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 831 children registered in public preschools in Kisarawe District. Assessment of ECC used the WHO (2013) criteria and anthropometric measures used the WHO Child Growth Standards (2006). Structured questionnaires were completed by children's parents through an interview. Collected information on socio-demographic attributes including oral hygiene and sugar exposure to their children was analyzed.ResultsOnly 459 children (55.2%) were recognized as caries-free. Dental caries experience in terms of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) index was 2.51. Children with visible plaque were the majority (56.1%). The dmft score index was negatively and significantly associated with weight-for-age z-score [Coefficient: -0.11 (95% CI: -0.76, -0.11)] and positively significantly associated with visible plaque score index [Coefficient: 0.16 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.52)] and total sugar exposure [Coefficient: 0.19 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.38)] in the adjusted model. The prevalence of underweight was 4.2% [95% CI: (3.0-5.8)] and severe underweight was 0.2% [95% CI: (0.1-0.9)] while prevalence of stunting was 1.6% [95% CI: (0.9-2.7)] and severe stunting was 0.4% [95% CI: (0.1-1.1)].ConclusionThis study demonstrated a significant negative relationship between ECC and children's anthropometric measures indicated by weight-for-age, and positive relationship with sugar exposure and poor oral hygiene indicated by visible plaque on upper anterior teeth. Controlling risk factors will reduce the occurrence of ECC thereby catering for a healthy population of well-nourished children