Dental and medical health status and oral health knowledge among visually impaired and sighted female schoolchildren in Riyadh: a comparative study

Abstract Background The impact of visual impairment on oral health in the literature is inconclusive, and the available information on the medical and dental health status of visually impaired children is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental and medical health status, and to assess the oral health knowledge of visually impaired girls aged 6–12 years, and compare them to that of sighted children. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 79 visually impaired and 83 age-matched sighted female primary school children. The children’s demographic data, medical history, and dental history were obtained through a validated questionnaire. The study population was examined to evaluate their dental caries status using the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth/Surface indices DMFT/DMFS/ and dmft/dmfs for permanent and primary teeth, respectively. Oral hygiene index (OHI), Plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) were obtained for periodontal evaluation. Pearson’s Chi-square test and t-test were used for the statistical analyses. Results The general health for both groups was found to be good; however, 21.5% of the visually impaired children had systemic diseases compared with only 4.8% of the sighted children (P = 0.002). Statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) were found between the two groups with regards to OHI. Among the sighted children, 49.4% had good oral hygiene compared with only 22.8% of the visually impaired group. The plaque accumulation was found to be greater among the visually impaired group and gingivitis was also higher. The DMFS score was found to be higher (P = 0.03) among the visually impaired group. Conclusions The visually impaired children had more medical conditions and poorer oral health status compared to their sighted peers

Cross-sectional study of preventive dental knowledge among adult patients seeking dental care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Aim: To evaluate the current knowledge about oral health and preventive dentistry among adults seeking dental care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which 900 questionnaires were randomly distributed to adults seeking dental care in all health settings in Riyadh; 450 questionnaires were distributed in each of the governmental and the private sectors. The questionnaire included questions regarding socio-demographic factors (age, education, occupation, etc) and others concerning the patient’s knowledge of preventive dental measures; the oral hygiene procedures, fluoride and sealant applications and the healthy dietary habits. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and simple descriptive statistics as means and frequency distributions were calculated for the study variables. Comparisons were performed using Chi-square test. Results: Eighty-six percent of the study subjects knew that dental caries could be prevented. Almost 59% were aware of the relation between frequency of sugar intake and dental caries. The prevalence of patients who knew that fluoride prevents dental caries was 50.3%, however, only 34.2% reported previous applications of topical fluoride in dental clinics. About 16% of the participants had received fissure sealants although 42.4% knew about them. The study sample’s dietary knowledge had statistically significant relations with education and occupation (p < 0.0001). Correct knowledge of visiting the dental clinic was statistically significantly related to education (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the majority of adults in Riyadh have the correct preventive dental knowledge, which is mostly related to the individuals’ educational level and occupation