A Preliminary Investigation into the Dietary and Oral Practices Associated with Fractured Teeth and Prostheses in a Trinidadian Population

Objectives: This preliminary study seeks to determine the relationship between fractured teeth, restorations, prostheses, and specific dietary practices. Methodology: Anonymous questionnaires were randomly distributed to a convenience sample of Trinidadian adults at various locations around the country, after gaining consent. Data were analyzed using the software; Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for significant associations between various types of food and broken teeth or prosthesis using odds ratios. Results: Three hundred questionnaires were completed. Seventy­five percent of the patients preferred crunchy or hard foods and 51% of the respondents liked crushing bones, mostly chicken bones. It was observed that respondents with a dietary preference for fried whole chana, split chana, crab, and sugarcane were significantly associated with broken dentures. Respondents eating whole chana also had a significant association with broken teeth and broken dentures. Associations were found between some dietary preferences, ethnicities, and age groups. Conclusions: Significant associations between age, ethnicity, sex, and certain dietary practices and habits were found. There also appears to be a significant relationship between patients with fractured teeth, restorations, and prostheses with certain dietary preferences.

Prevalence of dental caries and enamel defects in the primary dentition of Antiguan pre-school children aged 3-4 years including an assessment of their habits

In 1989 a national survey was carried out on children aged 3 to 4 years attending nursery schools, to investigate the prevalence of caries experience, nursing bottle caries and enamel defects in the primary dentition, and these children's dentally related habits. In the first part of the study, examination of 482 Antiguan children showed that the dmft and dmfs values were 0.80 and 1.26 respectively, and that 77 percent of the children were caries free; 4.6 percent of children had nursing bottle caries; and enamel defects occurred in 24 percent of children. No significant differences was found in oral health between urban and rural samples. In the second part, which was an interview survey, habits such as thumb sucking (13 percent), not brushing their teeth (3 percent), and swallowing fluoride toothpaste (13 percent) were found among 369 children. In the third (a questionnaire) survey, a response rate of 63 per cent was obtained. Significantly more of the children with nursing bottle caries (78.6 percent) had the habit of sleeping with a feeding bottle than occurred in caries free children (25.6 percent), but there was no difference in the infant feeding pattern. The children with enamel defects were breast fed for a shorter period and had an earlier introduction to bottle feeding, compared with children without enamel defects. In the final part of the survey, an assessment of snack eating habits at school, a 58 percent response rate was achieved. The majority of children often brought healthier snacks, together with daily sugar-rich drinks. Significantly more caries free children brought sugary snacks less frequently than children with caries experience. (AU)

Reverse smoking and its effects on the hard palate: a case report

Reverse smoking is a habit that is endemic in many Indian, South American and Caribbean communities. Two case reports of reverse smoking are presented in this paper. Although it causes characteristic changes in the palate, the role of reverse smoking in oral cancer is unclear. No clinical studies are available on reverse smoking using commercially available cigarettes. (AU)