RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Dental caries in young children and adolescents is a public oral health challenge in countries with developing economies and economic transition. This study presents a demographic pattern of dental caries in primary and permanent dentition of 5-, 12-, and 15-year-old Tanzanians based on the 2020 National Oral Health Survey findings. METHODS: This is a cross-section study based on data from Tanzania's 5th National Oral Health Survey. Data on dental caries and basic demographics were collected employing World Health Organization Oral Health Survey protocols. Analysis was done using the SPSS computer programme version 23, and proportions and mean dental caries experiences in Decayed extracted filled teeth in primary dentition/Decayed Missing Filled Teeth in permanent dentition were summarised and chi-square statistics and binary logistic regression assessed the differences and determined the association between dental caries and the selected demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The survey included 2187 participants; 42.4% were from rural areas and 50.7% were female. Overall caries prevalence was 17%, specifically 43.2%, 20.5%, and 25.5% amongst 5-, 12- and 15-year-olds, respectively. Decayed teeth components were 98.4%, 89.8%, and 91.4% amongst 5-, 12-, and 15-year-olds, respectively. Overall mean (SD) DMFT amongst 12- and 15-year-olds were 0.40 (0.27) and 0.59 (1.35), respectively. Urban participants had significantly lower odds of dental caries experience (odds ratio, 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.84) compared with rural participants, whilst the 15-year-olds had higher odds of dental caries experience than the 12-year-olds. CONCLUSION: Dental caries prevalence in primary dentition was high. The proportion of decayed teeth components of def/DMFT was the highest compared with that of missing and filled teeth components. Older adolescents and those from rural areas had higher odds of dental caries experience.

Asunto(s)

Caries Dental , Pérdida de Diente , Adolescente , Humanos , Niño , Femenino , Preescolar , Masculino , Caries Dental/epidemiología , Tanzanía/epidemiología , Índice CPO , Encuestas de Salud Bucal , Prevalencia , Salud Bucal

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: To identify and assess the predictors of oral impacts on daily performance among adolescents in Zanzibar, Tanzania. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study among primary school pupils. A single stage cluster sampling design was used. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire which inquired about sociodemographics, oral impacts on daily performance and oral health related behaviours. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 was used for data analysis using chi-squared statistics and standardized logistic regression. The level of significance was set at p ˂ 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 682 pupils aged 12 to 17 years participated in the study. 45.6% of the participants had at least one oral impact, the most common being difficulties in eating (27.9%). Statistically significantly more participants who reported eating between-meal sugared snacks (52.8%) or those who had visited a dentist (55.6%) reported oral impacts on daily performance, compared to their complimentary groups, which did not. The participants who reported having visited a dental clinic were 1.7 times more likely to report having an impact on daily performance than those who had not been to a dentist. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of oral impacts on daily performance was high among the adolescents in the current study. The oral impacts were associated more with behaviour than social differences. Having had a dental visit influenced the oral impacts on daily performances.

Asunto(s)

Salud Bucal , Calidad de Vida , Adolescente , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Tanzanía

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Management of children's behavior is an integral component of pediatric dental practice. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the oral health care providers' awareness, use and factors for choice of behavior management techniques when attending paediatric dental patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study among dental practitioners in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data collection was done through interview using a structured questionnaire. The recorded information included: awareness and application of behavior management techniques (BMT) when attending a child dental patient, factors influencing choice of a particular technique, socio-demographics, level of professional training, working experience and facility profile. Using SPSS program version 18, frequency distributions and cross tabulations analyses were performed. RESULTS: 74 dental practitioners participated in the study, of whom 49 (66.2%) were males and 44 (59.5%) were graduates. Most participants were aware of the behavior management techniques, ranging from 100% for Tell-Show-Do to 86% for distraction. A small proportion (9.5%) reported to have adequate skills, all of them were graduates. The use of universally accepted BMTs was reported by 65% of experienced practitioners, 61% of graduates, 59% of those reporting to have received formal training and all of those reporting to have fair/inadequate skills to apply BMTs (p= 0.01). CONCLUSION: Most participants were aware of BMTs, although few acknowledged having adequate skills to apply the techniques. They use BMTs during treatment of paediatric dental patients and their choice of the technique is mainly influenced by children's factors.