Factors associated with oral health related quality of life among pregnant women in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

This study was done to determine factors associated with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in pregnant;women .~;tt.Hospital Universiti Sa ins Malaysia. Systematic random san1pling was utilized to recruit 194 pregnant ·V.:ornen. S.el f-. . a9ministered questionnaires were used to obtain information on socio-demographic and obstetric profile, self repOrted oral health and oral health ·practices, and perceived barriers to oral health care services. OHRQoL was measured usin·g fhe ' S~(OtJIP)M .questionnaire. Additionally, clinical examination was performed. to determine caries experience using l;li.e . DMFT index and gingival and periodontal health using the Gingival Index (GI) and Commuruty Periodontal. lnaex (Clf . The prevalence of dental caries was 93.3% with a mean OMFT of 5.9 (SO 3.97). The prevalen~c of gingivitis: was 1o.o:w and the mean GI was 1.2 (SO 0.58). Almost half of the women (46.4%) presented with per.iodontal· pppkets,!:: ltm_m .. ' About one third (34%) of th'em experienced impact due .to oral health·problems: :rhe most common i mpacts_dpen.~~: were' discomfort due tq food ge~ting stuck in between teeth or dentures (20.6%) and feeling that oral health·prol:)lems !fl!l.d· .caused bad breath.(11.3%). The mean severity of impact was 10.1 (SO 7.1 D and the mean extent of impact .was p.?. ~SE> 1.25). Self-reported·bad breath (OR=4.40, 95%CI: 2.04,9.43), cavitated tooth (0R=5.28, 95%CI: 2.65,10 .. 51) and long waiting time to see dentist (OR= 2.23, 95%CI: 1.06,4.70) were found to be significantly associated with the prevalence of impact. Self reported bad breath and cavitated tooth also had signi ficant association (p<O.OOI) with extent and severity of ~mpa~t. The severity of ii:npact was also associated with age of the women (p=0.007). ·In conclusion, oral health stat4~~j preg_nn~t .women in :this 'study was pQoi: and their OHRQoL w~ also relatively poor,· Factors found to .~e ass<?:Chite,~· · ·. O~Qot.. ofthe worpel) were selfi-eported bad·breath, cav.itated tooth, :I.ong·waiti,n~time,to see .dentist,.andq-age

Factors Associated with Oral Health Literacy among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Attending Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Objective:&nbsp;To determine the oral health literacy (OHL) level and its associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).&nbsp;Material and Methods:&nbsp;This cross-sectional study involved 135 diabetic patients with a mean age of 62.6 years old (SD=9.05) who attended the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic at Hospital USM, a teaching hospital in the north-eastern corner of Peninsular Malaysia. The Malay version of the Oral Health Literacy Instrument (OHLI-M) was used to assess the level of OHL among respondents. An additional self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain other variables of interest. Systematic random sampling was applied in this study. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test and ANOVA to determine factors associated with oral health literacy among respondents.&nbsp;Results:&nbsp;Most respondents have at least one oral health problem (62.2%). The most common problem was cavitated tooth (42.2%). Other problems include toothache (17.8%), mobile tooth (17.8%), and swollen gums (16.3%). OHL level for most respondents (40.7%) was inadequate. The mean total OHLI-M score was 67.9 (SD=17.74). The OHL score was significantly lower in respondents with the following characteristics: female, no formal education or had primary education, unemployed, lower income group, never visited a dentist, and had swollen gums.&nbsp;Conclusion:&nbsp;The OHL of most patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic, Hospital USM still need to be improved. Oral health problems were common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in this study. This study also highlighted the link between OHL and socio-demographic factors. Improving the OHL of patients may increase their capability to obtain and understand oral health messages needed to take appropriate actions that will eventually prevent oral diseases associated with diabetes mellitus

Oral Health-related Quality of Life Among Pregnant Women at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

This cross sectional study aimed to determine oral health-related quality of life in pregnant women. A total of 100 pregnant women seen at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia participated in this study. The short version of the Malaysian Oral Health Impact Profile (S-OHIP(M)) questionnaire with five-point ordinal scale that ranges from ‘never' to ‘very often' was used to assess the frequency of oral impacts during the previous 12 months. The majority of the respondents were Malay (96.0%), with a mean age of 29.9 years (SD 5.78). The highest education level attained by most respondents was post-secondary qualification or Diploma (39.0%). Some had formal tertiary education (27.0%). The majority of them were income earners (74.0%) and contributed to the household income. Half of the respondents were in their third trimester of pregnancy while the remaining half was either in the first or second trimester. The severity of impact experienced by the women, which is the mean S-OHIP(M) score was high at 10.43 (95% CI = 8.96, 11.90). The prevalence of impact, which is the percentage of respondents reporting ‘fairly often' or ‘very often' to one or more impacts, was 36.0%. Common impacts experienced by the respondents include feeling uncomfortable because food got stuck in between teeth or dentures (22.0%), feeling that oral health problems had caused bad breath (13.0%), and feeling shy because of problems with teeth, mouth or dentures (9.0%). The results also demonstrated that neither the severity nor the prevalence of impact was influenced by the women's socio-demographic background. This study concluded that pregnant women suffered from high impact of oral diseases that could affect their quality of lif

Perceived oral health status and its association with oral health-related quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis - a pilot study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that affects not only the joints, but also other organ systems including the oral cavity. Studies have demonstrated an association between RA and oral disease, in particular periodontal disease. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine self-reported oral health problems among RA patients and its association with oral health-related quality of life. A total of 67 RA patients attending the Rheumatology Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia participated in this study. Self-administered questionnaires including the Malay version of Short Oral Health Impact Profile [S-OHIP(M)] questionnaire were used to obtain the variables of interests. Most patients perceived their oral health status as good or very good (70.2%) although some reported having at least one oral health problem (40.3%). Commonly reported oral health problems were cavitated tooth (16.4%), swollen gums (16.4%), bad breath (14.9%), and bleeding gums (13.4%). Some patients have lost all upper teeth (32.8%) and all lower teeth (28.4%). The median S-OHIP(M) score was 3.00 (IQR 7.00). With regard to prevalence of impact, item discomfort due to food getting stuck has the highest prevalence of 13.4%, followed by avoided eating certain foods (7.5%). No significant association was found between median S-OHIP(M) score and self-reported oral health problem among RA patients, but a significant association was found between median S-OHIP(M) score and perceived oral health status (P=0.013). In conclusion, oral health problems were common in RA patients, and the association between patients’ oral health perceptions and severity of impact from oral problems was apparent

Patient Satisfaction Towards Dentist-Patient Interaction Among Patients Attending Outpatient Dental Clinic Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Objective: To determine the satisfaction with the dentist-patient interaction and factors associated with patient satisfaction among patients attending the outpatient dental clinic Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 229 patients who attended outpatient dental clinic Hospital USM that located in the East Coast region of Malaysia. A self-administered Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan – 11 (SKIP-11) questionnaire was used to assess the satisfaction towards dentist-patient interaction. Systematic random sampling was applied in this study. The data were analyzed using simple logistic regression analysis to determine the factors associated with patient satisfaction with dentist-patient interaction. Results: The mean age of patients was 32.6 ± 13.9 years, 71.6% of them study up to tertiary level, 31.5% came to for dental check up and 23.6% of them had tooth decay. More than half (64.6%) of the patients were satisfactory with dentist-patient interaction. The satisfaction percentage in the distress relief domain was 60.7%, 56.8% in the rapport domain, and 53.7% in the interaction outcome domain. Satisfaction with dentist-patient interaction was significantly associated with the dentists’ characteristics such as age (OR = 0.583, 95%CI 0.44-0.76, p=0.001), gender (OR = 0.386, 95% CI 0.22-0.69, p=0.001) and years of service (OR = 0.294, 95% CI 0.15-0.57, p=0.001). Conclusion: The result showed that slightly more than half of the patients who attended the outpatient dental clinic HUSM were satisfied with the dentist-patient interaction, which was found to be influenced by the characteristics of the dentists. Efforts to improve patient-dentist interaction are recommended to ensure delivery of good quality oral health care

Patient Satisfaction Towards Dentist-Patient Interaction Among Patients Attending Outpatient Dental Clinic Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Objective: To determine the satisfaction with the dentist-patient interaction and factors associated with patient satisfaction among patients attending the outpatient dental clinic Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 229 patients who attended outpatient dental clinic Hospital USM that located in the East Coast region of Malaysia. A self-administered Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan – 11 (SKIP-11) questionnaire was used to assess the satisfaction towards dentist-patient interaction. Systematic random sampling was applied in this study. The data were analyzed using simple logistic regression analysis to determine the factors associated with patient satisfaction with dentist-patient interaction. Results: The mean age of patients was 32.6 ± 13.9 years, 71.6% of them study up to tertiary level, 31.5% came to for dental check up and 23.6% of them had tooth decay. More than half (64.6%) of the patients were satisfactory with dentist-patient interaction. The satisfaction percentage in the distress relief domain was 60.7%, 56.8% in the rapport domain, and 53.7% in the interaction outcome domain. Satisfaction with dentist-patient interaction was significantly associated with the dentists’ characteristics such as age (OR = 0.583, 95%CI 0.44-0.76, p=0.001), gender (OR = 0.386, 95% CI 0.22-0.69, p=0.001) and years of service (OR = 0.294, 95% CI 0.15-0.57, p=0.001). Conclusion: The result showed that slightly more than half of the patients who attended the outpatient dental clinic HUSM were satisfied with the dentist-patient interaction, which was found to be influenced by the characteristics of the dentists. Efforts to improve patient-dentist interaction are recommended to ensure delivery of good quality oral health care

Self-Reported Halitosis among Medical, Dental and Health Science Undergraduate Students at the University Sains Malaysia

Svrha: U ovom se istraživanju željelo među dodiplomskim studentima Sveučilišta Sains Malaysia procijeniti broj oboljelih (prevalencija) od samoopažene halitoze i s njom povezanih čimbenika. Ispitanici i postupci: U ovom presječnom istraživanju rabio se upitnik kojim se procjenjivala samoopažena halitoza i s njom povezani čimbenici. Sudjelovalo je 300 studenata dodiplomske nastave, i to po 100 sa studija medicine, dentalne medicine i medicinskih znanosti. Rezultati: Srednja dob studenata bila je 21,7 godina (SD 1, 75), a među njima su bile i 202 (67,3 %) studentice. Kod 13 posto studenata samoopažena halitoza otkrivena je tehnikom ruka na usta te je njih 9,3 posto izjavilo da zadah utječe na njihove socijalne kontakte. Većina studenata (79,7 %) osjetila je neugodan vonj iz usta odmah nakon buđenja. Studenti dentalne medicine rjeđe su prijavljivali halitozu negoli oni medicine i medicinskih znanosti (OR=0,34 ; CI=0,12, 0,95), Studenti koji se redovito koriste vodicom za ispiranje usta i četkaju jezik također su rjeđe opažali halitozu. Prevalencija halitoze bila je veća među studentima s gingivnim krvarenjem i naslagama na jeziku. Zaključak: Halitoza je češća među nedentalnim studentima. Čimbenici povezani s tom tegobom jesu gingivno krvarenje i naslage na jeziku. Redovito korištenje vodica za ispiranje usta i četkanje jezika itekako su korisni u prevenciji halitoze. Studentima se preporučuju profesionalna njega i korištenje sredstava za oralnu higijenu.Objective: To determine the prevalence of self-reported halitosis and its associated factors among undergraduate students at the Universiti Sains Malaysia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a self-administered questionnaire, assessing self-reported halitosis and its associated factors, was administered to 300 undergraduate students, 100 per group in the dental, medical and health sciences courses. Results: The mean age of the students was 21.7 years (SD 1.75), and 202 (67.3%) were female. Self-reported halitosis by hand-on-mouth technique was reported by 13.0% of the students, with 9.3% of students reporting that bad breath interfered with their social life. Most students (79.7%) experienced their worst breath after waking up. Dental students were less likely to report halitosis than medical and health sciences students (non-dental students) (OR = 0.34, CI = 0.12, 0.95). Students who used mouthwash regularly and brushed their tongues were also less likely to report halitosis. However, the prevalence of halitosis was higher among students with gingival bleeding and tongue coating than among those without. Conclusion: Halitosis is more common among non-dental than among dental students. Factors associated with halitosis include gingival bleeding and tongue coating. Regular use of mouthwash and tongue brushing were beneficial in preventing halitosis. Professional care and motivation in the use of oral hygiene aids are recommended for students

Association of new generation anti-CCP antibodies with disease severity and functional status in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Introduction: Detection of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with higher disease activity and lower functional ability. This study investigated the presence of the new generation of anti-CCP antibodies (anti-CCP2 IgG, anti-CCP2 IgA and anti-CCP3.1 IgG/IgA) and their association with disease severity and functional status of RA patients. Methods: A total of 46 RA patients and 40 healthy controls participated in this cross-sectional study that was conducted at the Rheumatology Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Blood samples were taken from all participants for anti-CCP2 IgG, anti-CCP2 IgA, and anti-CCP3.1 IgG/IgA analysis. Disease severity and functional status of RA patients were measured using the Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28) and the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ) respectively. Results: Significantly higher proportion of RA patients were found with positive anti-CCP2 IgG (63.0%), anti-CCP2 IgA (37.0%), and anti-CCP3.1 IgG/IgA antibodies (63.0%) than the healthy controls. No significant association was found between anti-CCP antibodies status and mean DAS28 score of the RA patients. However, RA patients with negative anti-CCP2 IgG status had higher mean mHAQ score than patients with positive anti-CCP2 IgG status. Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated detection of the new generation anti-CCP antibodies in RA patients, supporting the use of autoantibodies in RA diagnosis. While no significant association was found between the presence of anti-CCP antibodies and disease severity of RA patients, the absence of anti-CCP2 IgG was associated with worse function and greater disability of the patients