Activated Charcoal-based Dental Products: Awareness, Knowledge and Opinion of Dental Practitioners in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Recently, there is a resurgence in the practice of oral hygiene with charcoal-based oral hygiene products such as charcoal based dentifrices, toothbrushes and mouthwashes. Dental professionals need to be aware of these products to rightly educate patients on acclaimed merits and demerits. OBJECTIVE: To elicit the awareness, knowledge and opinion of dental professionals on the use of activated charcoal oral health products. METHODS: A cross-sectional study carried out among dental professionals. Data was collected using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire that sought information on respondents' demography, their awareness, knowledge and opinion on charcoal-based oral health care products. Descriptive and comparative analyses were done using SPSS version 21.0. and statistical significance were set at p <0.05. RESULTS: One hundred and three dental professionals participated with a slight female predominance and a F:M of 1,1:1. Forty-six (44.7%) and 10 (9.7%) respondents respectively were aware of charcoal-based toothpaste and toothbrush (p= 0.02, p=0.04). Sixteen (15.5%) of those who were aware got information from friends/colleagues. Only 19 (54.3%) of dentists knew that charcoal-based toothpaste can be used in tooth whitening and in the prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases (p=0.01). There was generally a low knowledge about the uses, side effects and sequalae of the use of charcoal toothpastes and toothbrushes among all dental professionals. Attitude to use and willingness to recommend these products was also poor among them. CONCLUSION: There was a low awareness and knowledge of the uses and sequalae of charcoal-based oral health products among dental professionals.

Analysis of Nigerian dentists' opinion and consequences on expanded function dental auxiliaries.

OBJECTIVE: To examine Nigerian dentists' opinion on expanded function dental auxiliaries. METHODS: This cross-sectional study of Nigerian dentists attending a dental conference was conducting in 2012 using self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The majority of the 82 dentists that participated in this study were male, aged 31-40 years, either specialist or specializing (residents), practiced for < 10 years, teaching hospital and urban practitioners. Of the participants, 22 (26.8%) reported favorable opinion towards expanded duty dental auxiliaries. The mean scores on consequences, of expanded function dental auxiliaries ranked redundancy of dentist as highest. Males and non-specialist significantly reported expanded function dental auxiliaries would lead to redundancy of dentists. Practitioners working in other hospitals other than teaching hospital significantly reported that appropriate legislation are necessary before expansion of duties of the dental auxiliaries can be done. The dentists with favorable opinion significantly reported that expanded duty dental auxiliaries would not cause redundancy of dentist and the task are not too difficult for dental auxiliaries with necessary training but will increase service delivery and efficiency, increase job satisfaction, lead to dental auxiliary specialization with legislation. CONCLUSION: Data from this study revealed overall unfavorable opinion of Nigerian dentists on the expanded duty dental auxiliaries. However, those with favorable opinion were significantly supportive of expanded function dental auxiliaries. This information would serve as a useful tool for Nigerian oral healthcare policy formulators.

Basic package of oral care: a veritable tool for promotion of primary oral health care by community health officers.

OBJECTIVES: Primary health care workers have the educational and clinical capacity required to learn basic package of oral care and become the primary resource for oral health promotion and simple curative care in their communities. The study was undertaken to determine the willingness of community health officers to treat patient with oral complaints, receive training on basic oral treatment and comment on basic package of oral care in the promotion of oral health. METHODS: Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaires were peer-reviewed for content validity and revised before data collection. Analysis was done using SPSS-16 statistical software. Proportions were compared using Chi-square test at 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: All the participants reported seeing patients with oral complaints. About 60% of the participants saw less than 5 patients with oral complaints per week, while 27.3% saw between 5-10 patients per week. Two-third (66.7%) and 18.2% of the patients visited the health centres for pain and multiple complaints respectively. About 90% of the health workers were willing to receive training on basic oral treatment and provide treatment for patients with dental complaints. CONCLUSION: The expressed desire by the community health officers to learn basic oral treatment and provide treatment for the dental population in their local community; is an indication that this group of staff may be used to bridge the existing inequalities in oral health and contribute to the promotion of oral health.

Endodontic working length of permanent maxillary central incisors in Nigerians.

BACKGROUND: The permanent maxillary central incisors are critical to dento-facial aesthetics in humans. Their restoration in the event of periapical infection or traumatic injury to the pulp requires an accurate determination of the root canal working length; an important outcome predictor in endodontic treatments. AIM: To determine the standard working length of permanent maxillary central incisor in a Nigerian population. METHODS: This study was carried out between March 2008 and June 2010. The study involved Nigerian patients of both gender, receiving endodontic treatment of the permanent maxillary central incisor. The study participants were selected based on a predetermined exclusion and inclusion criteria. The working lengths of the patient's teeth were determined using the radiographic method and Electronic apex locator. RESULTS: The average working length of the permanent maxillary central incisor of the patient's was 25.0 ± 1.7 mm while the values in males and females were 25.4 ± 1.2mm and 24.4 ± 2.2mm respectively. The male patients had longer working length than the females (P<0.05). The study also revealed that the most common indication for endodontic treatment in permanent maxillary central incisors in the studied population was trauma. CONCLUSION: The endodontic working length of permanent maxillary central incisors in adult Nigerian population was greater than that reported in Caucasians and Asians. This variation should serve as an important reference for endodontic procedures in the maxillary central incisors of adult Nigerians and perhaps others nationals from the West Africa sub region.

Perception of graduating medical students on child and maternal oral health in a selected tertiary institution in the southern part of Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Oral health care imparts on the quality of life and general health outcomes, therefore essential for the knowledge of graduating medical students OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of graduating medical students on child and maternal oral health METHODS: A cross sectional survey was undertaken among the graduating medical students of the University of Port Harcourt using an anonymous structured questionnaire with open and closed ended questions. Participants' knowledge about aetiology of dental caries, gingivitis and preventive oral health care and behaviours associated with early childhood caries (ECC) were assessed. Information gathered was collated and analyzed using a statistical software-SPSS Version 17. RESULTS: There were 166 participants with a mean age of 25.4 (+/- 3.0) years, range 20-45 years. Over 80% knew the roles of diet and bacteria in aetiology of dental caries. Regarding ECC, 59% agreed that breast milk and infant formula may be harmful to the teeth and 41.4% were aware that a mother can transmit cariogenic bacteria to the child. The importance of dental check up in pregnancy and the association between oral diseases in pregnant women and infant health was known by 63.3% and 51.8% respectively. Also, the importance of age at first visit and frequency of routine dental visits in a child was known to 40.4% and 54.8% respectively. Only 12.7% of participants knew that a carious primary tooth should be restored. Over 90% agreed that they needed to increase their knowledge on child oral health. CONCLUSION: The knowledge base of graduating medical students on the subject of maternal and child oral health was inadequate. A curriculum review that accommodates clinical exposure to child and maternal oral health during undergraduate and postgraduate medical residency training in Paediatrics is advised to increase their knowledge.