Internet Addiction, Oral Health Practices, Clinical Outcomes, and Self-Perceived Oral Health in Young Saudi Adults.

The study assessed the relationship between Internet addiction and oral health practices and clinical outcomes and whether this was affected by oral health perception. In 2017, a cross-sectional study included university students in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Questionnaires assessed demographic background, oral health practices (consuming sugar, tobacco use, and oral hygiene), perceived oral health, and Internet addiction. Caries experience and gingivitis were assessed using the World Health Organization criteria. The multivariate general linear analysis assessed the relationship between dependent variables (oral health practices, DMFT, and gingivitis) and exposure (Internet addiction). Data were available for 919 participants, 75.4% females, mean age = 19.8 years, and 1.6% with significant Internet use problem. The mean percentage of teeth with gingivitis was 8.5% and mean DMFT was 2.9. Among those with good perception of oral health and compared with participants with significant Internet use problem, average Internet users had lower consumption of sugar and tobacco (B = -6.52, P = 0.03 and B = -2.04, P = 0.03), better oral hygiene practices (B = 2.07, P = 0.33), higher DMFT (B = 2.53, P = 0.10), and lesser gingivitis (B = -15.45, P = 0.06). Internet addiction was associated with negative oral health practices and poor clinical outcomes among young Saudis. Holistic health promotion approaches need to address the negative impact of Internet addiction on health and oral health status for this at-risk age group.

Association between Dental Treatment, Quality of Life, and Activity Limitation According to Masticatory Discomfort: Evidence from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2015).

People with masticatory discomfort are unable to consume a balanced diet, which impacts their general health. We studied the relationship between quality of life and dental care associated with masticatory discomfort. Data from Korea's representative 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used. Complex sampling analysis with the stratification variable, clustering variable, and weight was applied. Demographic and dental treatment characteristics and activity limitations were compared through chi-square tests. The comparison of quality of life according to masticatory discomfort was performed using linear regression. The risk of masticatory discomfort was high in people who did not undergo regular oral examinations and preventive and definitive caries treatment and in those who received periodontal, surgical, endodontic, or prosthetic treatments. Generally, people with masticatory discomfort engaged in less activity owing to other disorders like arthritis, rheumatism, and back, neck, and oral disease. People with masticatory discomfort scored low on quality of life. People who received regular oral examinations and preventive care had a low level of masticatory discomfort, and the treated persons had high masticatory discomfort. Therefore, in order to reduce masticatory discomfort, more diverse and active care should be provided for prevention, specifically regular oral examinations.

Effects of tongue cleaning on Ayurvedic digestive power and oral health-related quality of life: A randomized cross-over study.

OBJECTIVES: The effect of tongue cleaning on digestive power is mentioned in Ayurvedic information sources. However, no study has yet evaluated this. We aimed to evaluate the effects of tongue cleaning on digestive power from Ayurvedic viewpoint, and on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in healthy adults. DESIGN: Randomized cross-over. INTERVENTIONS: We recruited healthy adults aged 20-60 years. After randomization, the immediate intervention group started tongue cleaning with a tongue scraper every morning for 4 weeks, and then waited for 4 weeks. The delayed intervention group initially waited for 4 weeks, and then started tongue cleaning in the same way. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We assessed the outcomes using the questionnaire on digestive power from Ayurvedic viewpoint, and the General Oral Health Assessment Index for OHRQoL. We estimated the effects of tongue cleaning using generalized estimating equations (GEE). We also conducted a sensitivity analysis, by comparing the changes in outcomes during the first 4 weeks of both groups. RESULTS: Of 58 participants, 57 completed the study. In GEE analysis, tongue cleaning showed improvement in some components of Ayurvedic digestive power represented by fecal and body conditions. For example, the odds ratio for improvement of constipation was 2.80 (95% CI: 1.04-7.58). The General Oral Health Assessment Index score was significantly increased by 4.33 points (95% CI: 2.18-6.48) after tongue cleaning. In sensitivity analyses, the trends of the results were similar to the main GEE analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Tongue cleaning may be an effective method to improve digestive power and OHRQoL.

Caries and dental erosion: are Soroti children and adolescents at risk from increased soft-drink availability in Uganda?

OBJECTIVE: An initial field study to investigate dental caries and dental erosion in children and adolescents in the community of Soroti, Uganda. METHODS: A stratified two-stage cluster sample of 84 children (ages 8-10) and adolescents (ages 16-19) were recruited. A survey was undertaken to assess the state of determinants of oral health, oral hygiene practices, and soft-drink and sweetened-tea consumption. Intra-oral photographs were taken and reviewed to measure Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) and dental erosion. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in DMFT between children and adolescents (3.7 ± 2.7 versus 2.1 ± 2.4 p=.02). A trend of lower erosion scores was seen in children compared to adolescents. Greater frequency of sweetened-tea consumption over soft-drinks was noted in both groups. CONCLUSION: This study did not reveal any relationship between different levels of cariogenic beverage consumption and DMFT or dental erosion in this sample group.

Oral lesions among HIV-infected children on antiretroviral treatment in West Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of oral mucosal diseases and dental caries among HIV-infected children receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in West Africa and to identify the factors associated with the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions. METHODS: Multicentre cross-sectional survey in five paediatric HIV clinics in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Sénégal. A standardised examination was performed by trained dentists on a random sample of HIV-infected children aged 5-15 years receiving ART. The prevalence of oral and dental lesions and mean number of decayed, missing/extracted and filled teeth (DMFdefT) in temporary and permanent dentition were estimated with their 95% confidence interval (95% CI). We used logistic regression to explore the association between children's characteristics and the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions, expressed as prevalence odds ratio (POR). RESULTS: The median age of the 420 children (47% females) enrolled was 10.4 years [interquartile range (IQR) = 8.3-12.6]. The median duration on ART was 4.6 years (IQR = 2.6-6.2); 84 (20.0%) had CD4 count<350 cells/mm(3). A total of 35 children (8.3%; 95% CI: 6.1-11.1) exhibited 42 oral mucosal lesions (24 were candidiasis); 86.0% (95% CI = 82.6-89.3) of children had DMFdefT ≥ 1. The presence of oral mucosal lesions was independently associated with CD4 count < 350 cells/mm(3) (POR = 2.96, 95% CI = 1.06-4.36) and poor oral hygiene (POR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.07-6.76). CONCLUSIONS: Oral mucosal lesions still occur in HIV-infected African children despite ART, but rarely. However, dental caries were common and severe in this population, reflecting the need to include oral health in the comprehensive care of HIV.

Oral health status of 12-year-old school children in Yemen. A cross- sectional survey.

AIM: This study aims to describe the oral hygiene practices and the oral health status of 12-year-old school children of Aden, Yemen. STUDY DESIGN: Multistage stratified cross-sectional survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross- sectional survey of randomly selected schools in the city was performed. Four hundred 12-year-old students were recruited in the study from both private (N. 200) and government schools (N. 200). In total 219 boys (54.8%) and 181 girls (45.2%) participated in this study. Scoring of decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) and the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) scores were computed according to the WHO recommendations. RESULTS: Mean DMFT was 2.22±1.56 and DMFT >0 was seen in 90.2% of the study subjects. The D component of the caries index was dominant and it was clinically evident in 84.7% of the students. Children having high cariogenic food consumption had significantly (P<0.001) higher mean DMFT, DT, MT and FT. Children who used only toothbrush were found to have significantly (P<0.001) lower caries experience as compared to those who used only miswak or those who used both. About 63% of the students has CPI=2 and less than 20% had CPI=0. Children who brushed regularly were found to have better CPI scores. Multivariate analysis showed that diet (ORa = 1.56; 95% CI= 1.82-2.44) was significantly associated with dental caries. STATISTICS: data were analysed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). CONCLUSION: The overall oral health of the 12-year-old school children is poor. More emphasis has to be given school based and community based oral health promotion and preventive programmes.

Epidemiology of dental caries among adults in a rural area in India.

BACKGROUND: Data on epidemiology of dental caries of adults in rural India appear to be sparse. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to assess the oral health status and dental treatment needs of a rural Indian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 189 volunteer subjects with a mean age of 34.9 ± 14.2 years and 54% males. Decayed, missing due to caries and filled teeth (DMFT) and tooth surfaces (DMFS) assessed the dental caries experience. Structured interviews collected data on perception of health including oral health, oral hygiene practices and snacking habits. RESULTS: While only 38.1% perceived themselves to be in good or very good dental health, nearly 85% felt the same about general health. The most common sugar exposure was sweetened tea; 75% consumed the beverage at least once a day. More than 80% of the subjects had untreated caries with mean DMFT and DMFS scores of 5.1 ± 3.9 and 13.8 ± 17.8, which lacked any gender differences. Dental treatment needs ranged from 16.9% two-surface fillings to 60.8% one-surface fillings; 23.8% crowns or bridges and 37.6% extractions. Those who perceived themselves to be in better oral health had significantly lower DMFT (4.0 ± 3.2 vs 5.9 ± 4.1) and DMFS (8.4 ± 11.7 vs 17.1 ± 20.0) scores (p < 0.05). A similar trend was observed between perception of general health and DMFT (4.8 ± 3.4 vs 7.0 ± 5.6) and DMFS (11.9 ± 13.7 vs 24.1 ± 30.7) scores. CONCLUSION: Results indicate high levels of dental caries as well as dental treatment needs among the study participants.

Is religiosity related to periodontal health among the adult Jewish population in Jerusalem?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Religiosity may be a relevant protective factor for periodontitis, as it is for other chronic systemic diseases. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between periodontitis and religiosity, and whether oral health-related behaviours, spirituality and social support are included in the potential pathways that explain the association between religiosity and periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional data were part of a retrospective study. The stratified random-sampling technique was limited to the Jerusalem Jewish population. Conceptual hierarchical data analysis modelling was adopted, assuming that socio-economic position was the most distal determinant, age and gender were confounders, and social support, spirituality and oral health behaviours were mediators in the relationship between religiosity and periodontitis. RESULTS: Kappa intra-examiner values (0.89) were satisfactory. Response rate was 88.0%. The final sample included 123 men and 125 women. The mean age was 38.6 years (SD 3.25 years), with 33.9% declared to be 'orthodox', 33.1% 'religious' and 33.1% 'secular'. Higher levels of religiosity (p=0.01), support of internal life through spirituality (p=0.03), higher family social support (p=0.02) and low levels of plaque (p=0.05) were related to lower levels of periodontitis. Religiosity led to higher family social support and support of internal life through spirituality, which was related to plaque level and periodontitis. CONCLUSION: Religiosity had a protective effect against periodontitis through extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. This should be considered as part of aetiology and prognosis, in potential prevention and care of periodontitis.

Managing dental caries in children in Saudi Arabia.

This paper describes oral health among children in Saudi Arabia, the dental health system in the country, and some possible solutions and recommendations to improve the oral health status.

Atenção odontológica e práticas de higiene bucal em instituições de longa permanência geriátricas / Dental care and oral hygiene practices in long-term geriatric care institutions

Este estudo avaliou a atuação de cirurgiões-dentistas (CD) nas instituições de longa permanência de Belo Horizonte (MG) e as práticas de higiene bucal adotadas. Questionários semiestruturados foram entregues aos coordenadores das 37 instituições filantrópicas e trinta privadas e coletados após uma semana. Os resultados foram comparados pelos testes Qui-quadrado e Exato de Fisher (p<0,05). Houve retorno de 81 por cento dos questionários. A maioria das instituições privadas (74,2 por cento) e filantrópicas (87 por cento) não possui CD na equipe de saúde (p=0,21). A localização da instituição, o tempo de fundação, o tipo e o número de residentes não interferiram na presença de CD (p>0,05). Nas instituições filantrópicas com consultório, 67 por cento possuíam CD, e nenhum CD trabalhava onde não havia consultório. Mesmo sem consultório, 13 por cento das instituições privadas possuíam CD. 69,6 por cento das filantrópicas encaminhavam o idoso em caso de necessidade para centros de saúde e, nas privadas, 58,1 por cento direcionavam ao familiar (p=0,00). Maior percentual de instituições privadas adotava medidas sistematizadas de higiene bucal (p=0,01), com grande variabilidade nas condutas relatadas. Há necessidade da incorporação do CD na equipe de saúde das instituições e da sistematização das práticas de higiene bucal.

This study evaluated the activities of dentists, dental care and oral hygiene practices in the long-term care institutions of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil). A semi-structured questionnaire was handed out to the coordinators of 37 philanthropic and 30 private institutions. The data was compared by the chi-square and Fisher's Exact Tests. 81 percent of the questionnaires were answered. The majority of the private (74.2 percent) and philanthropic institutions (87 percent) do not have a dentist (p=0.21). The location, period of existence, type institution kind and number of residents weren't factors regarding the presence of a dentist (p>0.05). 67 percent of the philanthropic institutions with equipped consultation rooms had dentists, though there were none when there was no consultation room. Even without consultation rooms, 13 percent of the private institutions had dentists. When necessary, 69.6 percent of the philanthropic institutions refer the elderly to public health centers, while 58.1 percent of the private institutions refer them to their family dentists. A higher percentage of the private institutions adopted systematic oral hygiene procedures (p=0.01), with a considerable divergence of treatment reported. There is a need to include a dentist on the health staff in the institutions and for systematization of oral hygiene practices.

Substance use and periodontal disease among Australian Aboriginal young adults.

AIM: To investigate the effects of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol and petrol sniffing on periodontal disease among Australian Aboriginal young adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nested within a long-standing prospective longitudinal study. Setting Aboriginal communities in Australia's Northern Territory. PARTICIPANTS: Members of the Aboriginal Birth Cohort study who were recruited from birth between January 1987 and March 1990 at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia. Data were from wave III, when the mean age of participants was 18 years. MEASUREMENTS: Clinical dental examination and self-report questionnaire. FINDINGS: Of 425 participants with complete data, 26.6% had moderate/severe periodontal disease. There was elevated risk of periodontal disease associated with tobacco [prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.06-2.40], marijuana (PR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.05-1.97) and petrol sniffing (PR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.08-3.11), but not alcohol (PR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.67-1.27). Stratified analysis showed that the effect of marijuana persisted among tobacco users (PR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.03-2.11). It was not possible to isolate an independent effect of petrol sniffing because all petrol sniffers used both marijuana and tobacco, although among smokers of both substances, petrol sniffing was associated with an 11.8% increased prevalence of periodontal disease. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first time that substance use has been linked with periodontal disease in a young Australian Aboriginal adult population, and the first time that petrol sniffing has been linked with periodontal disease in any population. The role of substance use in periodontal disease among this, and other, marginalized groups warrants further investigation.

Oral health self-care behaviors of rural older adults.

OBJECTIVES: This analysis describes the dental self-care behaviors used by a multiethnic sample of older adults and delineates the associations of self-care behaviors with personal characteristics and oral health problems. METHODS: A cross-sectional comprehensive oral health survey conducted with a random, multiethnic (African-American, American Indian, white) sample of 635 community-dwelling rural adults aged 60 years and older was completed in two rural southern counties. RESULTS: Rural older adults engage in a variety of self-care behaviors, including the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medicine (12.1 percent), OTC dental products (84.0 percent), salt (50.9 percent), prayer (6.1 percent), and complementary therapies (18.2 percent). Some gender and ethnic class differences are apparent, with greater use by women of OTC medicine and salt and greater use by African-Americans and American Indians of OTC medicine and OTC dental products. The use of dental self-care behaviors appears to be driven by need. Those reporting oral pain, bleeding gums, and dry mouth have greater odds of engaging in most of the dental self-care behaviors, including the use of complementary therapies. CONCLUSIONS: The major factor leading to the use of self-care behaviors is need. Although oral pain does increase the use of self-care behaviors, so do bleeding gums and dry mouth. Research and practice should address self-care behaviors used for oral health problems in addition to pain. Investigators should expand analysis of dental self-care behavior and the relationship of self-care behavior to the use of professional services. Further research also should explore the use of complementary therapies in dental self-care.

Periodontal status and treatment needs among spanish military personnel

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Introduction: Problems arising from poor gingival and periodontal health in military personnel account for around 10% of the emergencies of oral origin during deployments and manoeuvres. Consequently, it is important to ascertain the prior oral health situation among Spanish military personnel.Objective: To assess the periodontal health status and treatment needs of a population of Spanish Army personnelat the General Almirante Base at Marines, in the province of Valencia, and calculate the time required to cover the treatment needs of this population.Materials and methods: Observational cross-sectional study of periodontal health status in a representative sample of the population in question. The community periodontal index (CPI) was used in accordance with WHO criteria. The sample comprised 387 subjects, selected by systematically sampling those attending the sick bay at the base for different reasons. The examinations were carried out by a single examiner; the intra-observer Kappa index was 0.83. Data collection began in December 2003 and ended in July 2004.Results: All sextants were healthy in 7,2% of the sample. The most prevalent condition was the presence of calculus, especially in the younger population. 7.8% had 4-5 mm periodontal pockets and 2.3% had pockets of 6 mm or more, all in the over-25 age group. The women below 25 years of age were significantly more healthy than the men. The healthy sextants mean was 2.38, without differences by rank. Privates presented a significantly higher mean figure for sextants with bleeding, while officers and non-commissioned officers presented a higher average number of sextants with pockets. Practically every subject needed oral hygiene instructions and scaling and root planing but only 2.3%, all over 25 years old, required complex treatments. The estimated treatment time need is 1 hour per person per year (AU)

Factors associated with self-reported halitosis in Kuwaiti patients.

OBJECTIVES: Oral malodor is a common complaint of dental patients, yet limited data is available on the actual prevalence of this condition. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported halitosis in Kuwaiti patients. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of Kuwaiti adults using a 19-point self-administered structured questionnaire on self-perception of halitosis. Significant associations between self-reported oral malodor and sociodemographic, medical history, and oral hygiene variables were examined with multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1551 subjects participated (response rate=86.2%). The prevalence of self-reported halitosis was 23.3%. Use of the toothbrush less than once daily was the factor most strongly associated with self-perceived halitosis (OR=2.68; 95% CI=1.83-3.92; p<0.001). Other factors significantly associated with self-perceived halitosis included current or past smoking (OR=2.51), female gender (OR=1.54), being 30 years of age or older (OR=1.35), having high school education or less (OR=1.41), history of chronic sinusitis (OR=1.58) or gastrointestinal disorders (OR=1.73), never using miswak (OR=1.56), and never using dental floss (OR=1.33). CONCLUSION: Inadequate oral hygiene practices were the factors most strongly associated with self-reported oral malodor in this sample of Kuwaiti patients. Other factors with significant associations included history of gastrointestinal tract disorders, chronic sinusitis, older age, female gender, and lower education levels.

Traditional oral health practices among Kanuri women of Borno State, Nigeria.

A structured questionnaire was administered on 495 women (urban 339, rural 156) from two LGAs of Borno State, Nigeria, using the interviewer method. The age range of the subjects was 12 to 80 years with a mean age (+/- SD) of 35.7 +/- 13.44 years. Majority (83.5%) did not have any formal education. Oral hygiene tools used by the respondents included toothbrush/paste 36 (7.9%), chewing stick 250 (54.9%), charcoal 159 (34.9%) and ordinary water 10 (2.2%). Of those using chewing sticks; 168 (67.2%) use Salvadora persica, 36 (14.4%) use Azadirachta indica and 46 (18.4%) use Eucalyptus camaldulensis. Forty (8.1%) of the respondents do not clean their teeth at all. Strong association was found between choice of teeth cleaning material and educational level (P=0.000). Three hundred and one (60.8%) of the respondents stain their teeth with flowers of Solanum incanum or Nicotania tabacum while, 218 (44.0%) perform tattooing of lip or gingivae and of this number 213 (97.7%) performed tattooing before marriage. Tattooing is usually performed without local anaesthesia with thorns of Balanites aegyptiaca and a mixture of charcoal & seeds of Acacia nilotica var. tomentosa as pigments. It is concluded that traditional oral health practices still constitute important part of the lifestyle in the study population.

Oral health in Tunisia.

Current WHO methods were employed to estimate the prevalence of toothbrush possession, tea drinking, tobacco habits, fluorosis, dentofacial anomalies, periodontal diseases, dental caries as well as treatment needs in schoolchildren in Tunisia, the smallest country in North Africa. Fluorosis was endemic in some regions. Dentofacial anomalies were more frequent than in the other countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). The prevalence of periodontal disease was high despite the high percentage of toothbrush possession. Altogether 60% of 12-year-olds and 70% of 15-year-olds required oral hygiene instruction, 44% and 15% respectively required scaling. Dental caries was also relatively frequent, but indices were low and the dental therapeutic index was very low. Of the 6-12- and 15-year-olds, 52%, 44% and 52%, respectively needed restorative care. Moreover, 19% of 6-year-olds, 20% of 12-year-olds and 5% of 15-year-olds required extractions. None of 6-year-olds, 3% of 12-year-olds and 5% of 15-year-olds required other dental treatment such as pulpal treatment and prosthetics. A comparison with a survey carried out 13 years ago indicated that dental caries seemed to be decreasing. The DMF at age 12 was lower than WHO goals for the Year 2000 and of the Eastern Mediterranean Region countries. The findings showed an unequal distribution of oral health personnel, with the southern part of the country being particularly underserved.

Oral hygiene practices, smoking habit, and self-perceived oral malodor among dental students.

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of oral hygiene practices and halitosis among undergraduate students from King Saud University, College of Dentistry. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among all 481 students; 263 male and 218 female students. A questionnaire was developed to assess the self-reported perception of oral breath, awareness of bad breath, timing of bad breath, treatment received for bad breath, oral hygiene practices, caries and bleeding gums, dryness of the mouth, smoking and tea drinking habits, and tongue coating. The response rate was 77%. Forty four percent of male and 32% of female students reported the self-perception of breath odor. Self-treatment was sought by 12% male and 22% female. Six percent of males and 4% of females experienced bad breath interference at their work. Seventy-eight percent of male and 62% of female students experienced bad breath after waking up. Brushing was prevalent among 81% of male and 99% of female students. Both miswak (chewing sticks) and tooth brushing were used by 53% male and 83% female students. Fifty seven percent of male students and 44% of female students reported caries. Bleeding gingiva was experienced by 26% of males and 14% of females. Dry mouth was common among 14% of males and 17% of females, while smoking was prevalent among 13% of males and 2% of females. Tea drinking was common among 44% of males and 37% of females, while tongue coating was equally common among both males and females (21% and 20%), respectively. The results indicate female students had better oral hygiene practices, significantly less self-reported oral bad breath, and smoked less compared to male students. There was no difference in tongue coating among male and female students. Further research is needed to examine oral malodor clinically and objectively by the standard procedures available. Students should be motivated to be a health symbol and keeping their mouths free from oral malodor.

The prevalence of tongue lesions in 5150 Turkish dental outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of nine tongue conditions and relate to data obtained about oral hygiene or habits in Turkish dental outpatients. SUBJECTS: A total of 5150 subjects (2837 women, 2313 men) were included in this study. RESULTS: Of the 5150 subjects, 2690 subjects were detected as having tongue lesions with a prevalence of 44.2 and 62.0% for women and men, respectively. The difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.0001). There was a strong correlation between tongue lesions and increasing age. There was also a strong association between tongue lesions and smoking, black tea drinking, and fair or poor oral hygiene. Hairy and coated tongue was significantly higher in males. Contrary to this, papillary atrophy was more prominent in women. CONCLUSION: A strong correlation was found between tongue lesions and age, sex, oral hygiene and habits in Turkish dental outpatients. An efficient oral health program such as the elimination of risk habits and attention to cultural practices may improve tongue hygiene.

Oral hygiene, dietary pattern and smoking habits of Bedouin (nomadic Arabs) population in Saudi Arabia.

The estimated population of the Bedouins are up to two million in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but relatively little information is available about them. The aim of the study was to assess the oral hygiene dietary pattern and smoking habits of Saudi Bedouins population around Medina, Qaseen and Khamis Moshayte areas. Five hundred and twenty five Bedouins (296 male, 229 female) with the age range 2-90 years were interviewed and examined clinically over a period of four months (July to October 1998). It was found that 25% of the subjects were miswak users, 30% used miswak and tooth brush, while 26% never cleaned their teeth. Almost 50% of the subjects were regular in their oral hygiene habits. Seventy percent were rice eaters while meat and dates were second and third preference. Tea was the most common drink with 2-3 teaspoons of sugar per cup. Only ten percent were cigarette smokers and less than 5% used shisha (traditional smoking pipe). It is concluded from the study that within the surveyed Bedouin population one fourth of them never cleaned their teeth while almost the same number used miswak (Chewing stick) to clean their teeth. Rice was the most common food item, while tea with refined sugar was the most common drink. Only 15% were smoker. Further research is needed with a larger and a more representative sample of Bedouins from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

[A pilot project of the integration of oro-dental care into the primary health care system in Cameroon]. / Projet pilote d'intégration des soins bucco-dentaires dans les soins de santé primaire au Cameroun.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work is to analyse the situation of the Oral Health Care (OHC) of the population of operational district health unit in Primary Health Care (PHC) and finally integrate the component of OHC. Indeed in many countries in Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO), in accord with the countries, have set up the policy of PHC. The agreement is that the component of OHC was neglected for quite sometimes in Cameroon. It's for this reason that a pilot project was initiated as a model so that it would be extended to all districts in this country. METHOD: The method consist in investigation into the prevalence by means of questionnaire and clinical examination of the population of varied age; 900 persons were examined in the Sangmelina health district in order to master the situation of OHC. RESULTS: Oral dental hygiene: 70.5% of the population had a tooth brush, 79% declared they brush their teeth, The state of periodontal tissue: 75% had debris, 70% calculus, 60.7% gingivitis, The prevalence of caries: 66.9% (91.9% had between 21 and 32 teeth), 44.8% follon teeth, 50.8% of this population needed artificial teeth. CONCLUSION: The situation of the OHC in the health district of Sangmelina requires an effective prevention, consequently the importance of including this situation in PHC program of the said district.