Self-assessed dental health knowledge of Nigerian Doctors

Objectives: To assess medical doctors' knowledge of common dental diseases and the need to include dental education in the Nigerian undergraduate medical curriculum.Design: Cross-sectional multicentre non-random survey using a convenience sample.Setting: Tertiary hospitals across two geo-political zones of Nigeria. Participants were mostly recruited while attending seminars and other departmental events which brought doctors together.Subjects: Medical doctors in tertiary hospitals across two geo-political zones of Nigeria.Main outcome measures: Knowledge of common dental diseases namely, dental caries, gingivitis and periodontitis was evaluated using an open-ended questionnaire. The definition, etiology, treatment and age-related risk were  assessed. Exposure to dental education during undergraduate training was assessed. Opinion on desirability and suggested length of future training were also assessed.Results: A total of 127 doctors (35 interns, 30 residents, 34 senior residents and 28 consultants) participated in the study. Overall, knowledge of definition, etiology, treatment and relative prevalence were recorded. About 69 doctors (54.3%) correctly defined dental caries, 120 (94.5%) correctly defined gingivitis while only only 29 (22.8%) correctly defined chronic periodontitis. The proportions of respondents who correctly identified disease etiology were 26  (20.5%) for caries, 31 (24.4%) for gingivitis and 12 (9.4%) for chronic periodontitis. The proportions of respondents who correctly identified appropriate treatment modalities were 39 (30.7%) for caries, 18 (14.2%) for gingivitis and 6 (4.7%) for periodontitis. Those who correctly identified the relative, age-related prevalence of the three diseases were 81 (63.8%) for caries, 51 (40.2%) for gingivitis and 47 (37%) for periodontitis.Conclusion: Most of the medical doctors who participated in the study demonstrated inadequate knowledge of  common dental diseases and about 97% of respondents supported the idea of including dental education into the current Nigerian undergraduate medical curriculum

Influences on smoking behaviour of adolescents and young adults in a Nigerian university

The study investigated whether parenting style, parental level of education and smoking peers have any influence on the smoking behaviour of adolescents and young adults. The participants were students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in the sample selection. Three hundred students who consented participated in the study. A self constructed questionnaire was used to collect the data. The validity of the instrument was determined. The reliability of the instrument was also determined using test retest method. Correlation co-efficient of 0.75 was obtained. This study revealed that there is a significant influence of parenting style on the smoking behaviour of students (x2 = 36.03, df = 6, p ≤ 0.05). It also showed that there is a significant relationship between parents’ educational attainment and students’ smoking behaviour (x2 = 60.40, df = 6, p ≤ 0.05). Finally, it was revealed that there was a significant influence of peers on smoking behaviour (x2 = 19.97, df = 2, p ≤ 0.05). KEY WORDS: Smoking, Behaviour, Parent, Adolescent, Universit

Could Periodontitis Affect Time to Conception?

Background: Chronic periodontitis is gaining increasing prominence as a potential influnce on systemic health. Time to conception has been recently investigated in relation to chronic periodontitis among Caucasians. The authors set out to replicate the study among Nigerian pregnant women. Aim: The etiology of many medical conditions have been linked with the state of the oral health and one of such is the time to conception (TTC)among women. This study was aimed to assess the effect of periodontitis on TTC.Subjects and Methods: A cross.sectional study in a hospital setting involving 58 fertility clinic attendees and 70 pregnant controls using the simplified oral hygiene index, community periodontal index (CPI) and matrix metalloproteinase.8 immunoassay. Statistical analysis used included Spearmanfs rank order correlation statistic, Z.statistic and logistic regression.Results: Good oral hygiene correlated with shorter TTC (<1 year) than fair oral hygiene, but not statistically significant. The odds of increased conception were higher with CPI (odds ratio [OR]: 0.482, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.259.0.895, P = 0.02), periodontitis risk (OR 0.157, 95% CI 0.041.0.600, P < 0.01) and age (OR 0.842, 95% CI 0.756.0.938, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Chronic periodontitis was positively associated with increased TTC in the present study. The authors are recommending that women in child bearing age should be encouraged to have regular preventive dental check.ups in order to maintain good oral and periodontal health.Keywords: Fertility, Oral hygiene, Periodontitis, Time to conceptio

Gingival Recession in a Child‑Patient; Easily Missed Etiologies: Case Report with Video

Gingival recession is commonly associated with plaque‑induced inflammation and calculus. A high frenal attachment is more important in gingival recession in the child‑patient. A healthy child‑patient with impeccable oral hygiene presented with localized gingival recession without plaque‑induced inflammation which led to the exploration of other possible etiologies. Multiple factors appeared to be acting in consonance (Concomitant multiple etiologies [CME]). The factors were a high frenal attachment, traumatic overbite and bruxism induced by premature tooth contacts. Pedodontists and periodontists should rule out CME in cases of gingival recession in the child‑patient.Keywords: Bruxism, Gingival recession, Traumatic overbit

Surgical procedures performed at the periodontal clinic, Lagos University teaching hospital, Nigeria

Aim To highlight the scope and outcome of surgical procedures performed at a periodontal clinic in Nigeria and to stimulate a rethink on Pericoronal Flap Gingivectomy (PFG). Methodology All systemically healthy surgical patients seen at the periodontal clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital were included. A history of any debilitating illness such as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus excluded patients from the study. Age and gender comparisons of outcome were made. Ten modalities were employed. Asepsis was observed. Wound closure was done with silk suture. Periodontal dressing was applied. Chlorhexidine mouthwash, analgesics and antibiotics were given. A 24-hour review appointment was given. Dressings and sutures were removed at the 1 week postoperative appointment. Results Forty-five patients, 29 (64.4%) females and 16 (35.6%) males were treated utilizing ten periodontal surgical modalities that included 16 (35.6%) PFG, 8 (17.8%) gingivectomies and 12 (36.7%) flap procedures The rest were periodontal plastic surgeries and regenerative procedures. Twenty nine (64.4%) of the patients treated were 34 years old or below. Conclusion Pericoronal Flap Gingivectomy (PFG) was the most commonly utilized periodontal surgical procedure. The outcome of periodontal surgical procedure was generally favourable. Plastic and aesthetic techniques had unfavourable outcomes. Keywords: Periodontal, Surgery, Lagos Tanzania Dental Journal Vol. 13(2) November 2006: 50-5

Bad-breath: Perceptions and misconceptions of Nigerian adults

Objective: To provide baseline data about bad‑breath perception and misconceptions among Nigerian adults.Methods: Multi‑center cross‑sectional study of individuals aged 18-64 years using examiner‑administered questionnaires. Age comparisons were based on the model of emerging adults versus full adults. Data were recoded for statistical analyses and univariate and secondary log‑linear statistics applied.Results: Participants had lopsided perceptions about bad‑breath. While 730 (90.8%) identified the dentist as the expert on halitosis and 719 (89.4%) knew that bad‑breath is not contagious, only 4.4% and 2.5% associated bad‑breath with tooth decay and gum disease respectively. There were no significant sex differences but the older adults showed better knowledge in a few instances. Most respondents (747, 92.9%) would tell a spouse about their bad‑breath and 683 (85%) would tell a friend.Conclusions: Participants had lop‑sided knowledge and perceptions about bad‑breath. Most Nigerian adults are their “brothers’ keepers” who would tell a spouse or friend about their halitosis so they could seek treatment.Key words: Bad‑breath, emerging adults, misconceptions, Nigeria, perception

Comparative periodontal status of human immunodeficiency virus.positive patients and controls in a dedicated human immunodeficiency virus clinic in Nigeria

Background: There are diverse reports on the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive persons. Few studies have been carried out in developing countries in Sub.Saharan Africa. This study was aimed at comparing the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis of HIV.seropositive patients with that of HIV.seronegative persons using the community periodontal index (CPI).Methodology: This was a comparative study of the periodontal status of 110 HIV.positive subjects and 110 age and gender.matched HIV.negative controls attending a dedicated HIV Clinic in a Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. The CPI and simplified oral hygiene index score were used in the periodontal examination. Highest CPI scores and percentages of CPI sextants assessed the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis respectively. Logistic regression was used in adjusting demographic differences in the study population. P . 0.05 was considered as significant.Results: A significant proportion of the HIV.positive patients 61 (55.5%) and the HIV.negative controls 53 (48.7%) had shallow pockets (4.5 mm) (CPI code 3). The prevalence of deep pockets (. 6mm) (CPI code 4) was higher among HIV.positive patients 9 (8.2%) than the controls 4 (3.5%) (P = 0.079). HIV.positive patients had a greater percentage of CPI codes 3, 4 and fewer CPI code 0 sextants than controls (P = 0.000). Both groups had comparable oral hygiene status (P = 0.209). Using a logistic regression analysis, HIV.positive status and lower education accounted for the greater severity of chronic periodontitis.Conclusion: HIV-seropositive patients had more severe chronic periodontitis than the HIV.seronegative controls, which was independent of lower education.Key words: Chronic periodontitis, community periodontal index, human immunodeficiency virus-positive, Nigeri

Periodontitis, erectile dysfunction, reproductive hormones and semen quality: A systematic review

International audienceBackground: There is increasing evidence that periodontitis may affect male sexual health (MSH) (erectile function, production of sex hormones and semen quality). However, a limited number of clinical studies demonstrate the association between MSH and periodontitis.Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between periodontitis and MSF.Materials and methods: A comprehensive systematic review of the published literature in MEDLINE-PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, EMBASE and Web of Science databases from the earliest available online indexing year until October 2020 was performed, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Keywords related to periodontitis were combined with words describing MSH.Result: A total of 19 studies were included and discussed in the systematic review. The number of study participants ranged from 53 to 197,136 individuals, aged between 18 and 95 years (mean age, 41.2 years). Six studies did not report the age of the participants. Out of nine studies, eight found a significant association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and periodontitis. Only three studies evaluated the association between sex hormone levels and periodontitis, and two of these studies showed that patients with periodontitis are expected to exhibit higher levels of testosterone. Finally, out of five studies, two demonstrated a significant association between semen quality and periodontitis.Discussion: The findings in this review were limited by the quality and the few available studies. Results from the observational studies might have been affected by recall bias and confounded by cofactors.Conclusion: The results of this systematic review revealed a significant association between periodontitis and ED, although the responsible mechanisms remain unclear. The potential associations between sex hormone levels, semen quality and periodontitis are yet to be demonstrated. In order to improve patient management, dentists and physicians need to be aware of the association between male sexual health problems and periodontitis