Postoperative Morbidity of Dental Paediatric Patients Treated under General Anaesthesia at a University Hospital: An Observational Study.

Aims: To assess prevalence of postoperative morbidity signs and symptoms in children treated under GA, and to investigate the association between pre- and intra-operative factors with postoperative morbidity. Study design and. Methods: Prospective, observational study supported by pre-operative, intra-operative, and postoperative questionnaire conducted on paediatric patients treated for dental reasons under general anaesthesia at a university hospital. Results: Hundred and fifty patients were included with average age 5.5 years. The majority (92%) experienced at least one postoperative morbidity sign and symptom on the day of treatment under GA and the majority of symptoms subside by the third day. Dental pain (81.3%), sleepiness (70%), and poor appetite (46.7%) were the most frequently reported. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, type of treatment provided, use of LA, and duration of procedure were significantly associated with postoperative morbidity. Conclusions: Most patients experienced one or more morbidity sign/s or symptom/s during first postoperative day and the majority subsides by the third day. Dental pain and poor appetite were the most and long lasting reported. Factors that would predict the occurrence of postoperative morbidity were gender, patient's age, and duration of procedure.

Traumatic injuries to permanent anterior teeth among 12-year-old schoolchildren in Jordan.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and related factors of incisor trauma among 12-year-old Jordanian schoolchildren. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study among schoolchildren. A sample of 1.878 schoolchildren aged 12 years, 940 boys and 938 girls, were randomly selected from 128 schools in urban and rural areas. Ellis classification was used to record the dental injuries on incisors. RESULTS: Of the children examined 13.8% showed dental trauma. Difference in prevalence between boys (17.1%) and girls (10.6%) was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Maxillary central incisors were the most affected (79.2%) and the most common type of crown injury was enamel-dentin fracture (40.6%). The relationship between dental injuries and socio-economic indicators was not statistically significant. There was a tendency for children with an incisal overjet greater than 5.0 mm to have experienced dental injuries (p < 0.01). Treatment need due to dental injuries was very high but less than untreated damage. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of traumatic injuries to permanent incisors in 12-year-old Jordanian schoolchildren was close to that found in other countries. Being a boy and having overjet greater than 5.0 mm were significant predisposing factors to dental injuries.

Early childhood caries and risk factors in Jordan.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of dental caries among Jordanian preschool children and risk factors for caries. DESIGN: Preschool children aged 1 to 5 years from randomly selected nurseries and kindergartens in Amman were surveyed in September 2001. A questionnaire to investigate factors that might have affected dental caries level was completed by parents. Dental caries was diagnosed as recommended by the World Health Organization. RESULTS: The mean dmft scores at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were 0.19, 1.15, 1.7, 2.13, and 3.22 respectively. Overall, 52% of children were caries-free. Caries level was significantly related to feeding practices, snacking habits, oral health practices and pattern of dental visiting as well as to socio-economic background, parents, education level and awareness. CONCLUSION: The dental caries level was slightly higher than that of children in industrialised countries but lower than that of children in the neighbouring Arab countries. However, the early caries development seen in children from the lower socio-economic classes, because they are at high risk for caries in Jordan, reinforces the need for preventive programmes before eruption of the teeth. Access to dental care must be improved to enable any preventive strategies to be implemented.