Dental caries and extractions of permanent teeth in Jos, Nigeria

Objective: To determine the effect of tooth morphology and positioning on the occurrence of dental caries in permanent teeth. Design: Retrospective study. Method: Data was extracted from the case notes of patients that underwent extraction at the Plateau State Dental Centre, Jos, Nigeria from January 2000 to December 2001, as a result of dental caries and its sequalae. Result: 12696 patients attended the clinic, with a total of 11546-teeth extracted. 6145 (53.2%) permanent teeth were extracted due to caries and it's sequalae within the period under review. The upper anteriors accounted for 3.2%, pre-molars 7.7% and molars 29.8% while lower anteriors accounted for 0.4%, pre-molars 3.3% and molars 55.6%. The upper anteriors were eight times more vulnerable to caries attack compared to their corresponding lower anteriors. The upper right (43.3%) and left (36.9%) first premolars were four times prone to losses due to caries compared to their corresponding lower right (11.5%) and left (8.3%) first premolars. Similar pattern was observed for the upper and lower second premolar (P = 0.001). The lower right (31.3%) and left (31.3%) first molar were about two times more susceptible to caries than their corresponding upper right (18.2%) and left (19.2%) first molar. The same trend holds for the second and third molars (P = 0.000). Conclusion: The result of this study revealed that the upper premolars were more susceptible to dental caries than the corresponding lower teeth. The study also revealed that the molars were most susceptible to dental caries and would benefit from the use of prophylactic pits and fissure sealants. Key Words: Tooth morphology; extraction; fissure sealant; caries African Journal of Oral Health Vol.1(1) 2004: 31-3

Initiatives to reduce postoperative surgical site infections of the head and neck cancer surgery with a special emphasis on developing countries

Introduction: Surgery in patients with head and neck cancers is frequently complicated by multiple stages of procedure that includes significant surgical removal of all or part of an organ with cancer, tissue reconstruction, and extensive neck dissection. Postoperative wound infections, termed ‘surgical site infections’ are a significant impediment to head and neck cancer surgery and recovery, and need to be addressed. Areas Covered: Up to 10-45% of patients undergoing head-and-neck cancers surgery develop SSIs. SSIs can lead to delayed wound healing, increased morbidity and mortality as well as costs. Consequently, SSIs need to be avoided where possible, as even the surgery itself impacts on patients’ subsequent activities and their quality of life, which is exacerbated by SSIs. Several risk factors for SSIs need to be considered to reduce future rates, and care is also needed in the selection and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis. Expert commentary: Head and neck surgeons should give personalized care, especially to patients at high risk of SSIs. Such patients include those who have had chemoradiotherapy and need reconstructive surgery, and patients from lower and middle-income countries and from poorer communities in high income countries who often have high levels of co-morbidity because of resource constraints

Global use of dental amalgam: the African perspective.

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Pattern of oral cancers in the North Central zone of Nigeria

Objective: To document the pattern of oral cancers (ICD-O: C00-C06) diagnosed histologically at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos between January 1987 and December 2002. Methods: Information on socio-demographic characteristics of patients and details of cancer occurrence and management were retrieved from the files and histopathology records of patients seen at the hospitals. Results: A total of 54 cases of oral cancers were reported, with a M-F ratio of 2.4:1 and with childhood cancers constituting 5.7%. There was a higher occurrence of oral cancers in patients aged 40 years and below, relative to reported findings in developed countries (

Canal pattern in mesiobuccal root of maxillary molars of Nigerians

Objective: This in vitro study was carried out to investigate the variation (if any) in canal outline and number(s) in the mesiobuccal root (MBR) of maxillary first and second molar teeth of Nigerians, and its possible influences on the prognosis of root canal treatment. Method: One hundred and three (103) and eighty seven (87) extracted, root-planed maxillary first and second molars respectively were sectioned transversely at three different points corresponding to the cemento-enamel junction, the peak of the external outline of the furcation and the margin of the middle and apical thirds of the mesiobuccal root. The root canals were identified using size 15 K-files and the canal number noted for each sectioned piece. The canal number(s) obtained at the three levels were projected to determine the canal types. Result: Twenty- seven (26.2%) and 7(8%) of the MBR of maxillary 1st and 2nd molars showed double canals respectively at the chamber floor level. This figure increased to 44(42.7%) for the maxillary 1st molar at the cervical third of the root (

Students' knowledge and attitudes towards ill-effects of tobacco use in Jos metropolis of Plateau State, Nigeria

Objective: Young people are vulnerable to a range of ill behaviours including tobacco use. Preventing tobacco use among youths may be an easier task than helping adults break the habit of smoking and overcome its ill effects. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude of students towards the ill-effects of tobacco use on health.Method: This was a cross-sectional study involving secondary and tertiary school students from the Capital Teritory of Plateau State of Nigeria (Jos North, Jos South and Jos East). A twostage sampling technique was used with four secondary schools selected from each of the three Local Government Areas (LGAs). Two tertiary schools were selected from Jos South and three from Jos North proportionally to the number of schools in the two LGAs. The second stage was the selection of 661 students from the selected seventeen schools using systematic sampling procedure. A self/interviewer-administered questionnaire on smoking habits, knowledge of the different forms of tobacco, ill-effects of tobacco use, and attitude towards quitting was used for data collection.Result: The mean age was 18.09±2.11 years for secondary school students and 30.65 ±8.72 years for tertiary school students. The prevalence of tobacco use among secondary and tertiary school students were 13.6% and 22.4% respectively. More than half of the students use tobacco for social influence and cigarette was the major form of tobacco use. Majority (92.9%) of the students were generally aware of the fact that tobacco use has adverse effects on health but, the knowledge of the specific side effects was relatively low especially among current users. More than a quarter of the attempted quitters (n=68) sought advice about quitting from friends rather than health professionals.Conclusion: Knowledge of the specific hazards of tobacco use was low, especially among current users of tobacco. This study, there is an urgent need for education on tobacco and the initiation of cessation campaigns among the youths. Education on the ill-effects of unhealthy lifestyle such as tobacco use should be incorporated into secondary school curriculum. Oral health professionals, as major stakeholders, should be fully involved in these campaigns.Keywords: Students, Tobacco, Smoking, Quittin