Prevalence of oral conditions and associated factors among schoolchildren in Accra, Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of oral diseases on children cannot be overemphasized because their effects may go beyond the individual to the household and the community at large. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of common oral conditions in children between the ages of 9 and 16 years in Accra. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among participants from 16 selected junior high schools in Accra. Their caries experience was assessed using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. Other variables recorded were age, sex, previous history of a dental visit, and the presence of other common oral conditions (ie, periodontal disease, traumatised teeth, oral mucosal lesions, neoplasia, cysts, and malocclusion). Summaries and descriptive statistics were generated and reported. The DMFT was compared between subgroups, and the χ2 test was used to compare outcomes of categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 1118 students participated in the study. This consisted of 37.8% males and 62.2% females. The mean age was 12.8 (standard deviation = 1.7) years. Common oral conditions were found in 49.7% of the participants and the prevalence of caries, periodontal disease, and malocclusion were found to be 13.3%, 30.4%, and 11.3%, respectively. The population's mean DMFT was found to be 0.27 (standard deviation = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of caries and periodontal disease calls for additionaleffort to reduce the burden of common oral conditions in Ghanaian children.

Paediatric maxillofacial fractures in Ghana: Pattern, household cost, and distress.

BACKGROUND: Maxillofacial fractures in the paediatric population are peculiar in risks, management, and potential complications. AIM: To determine the pattern, psychological distress to parents, and economic cost of paediatric maxillofacial fractures in Ghana. DESIGN: This study combined a retrospective evaluation with a cross-sectional cost-of-illness (COI) analysis to describe the pattern and economic cost of paediatric maxillofacial fractures in Ghana. The DASS 21 was used to assess psychological distress to parents. Descriptive summaries were generated, and cross-tabulations done, with consequent tests of associations. RESULTS: In all, 253 patients were included in the study, with 68 households responding to the COI evaluation. Consisting of 179 (70.8%) males and 74 (29.2%) females, the ages ranged from 10 months to 17 years (mean age of 9.0 ± 5.0 years). Maxillofacial fractures frequently resulted from falls (56.5%), while traffic injuries accounted for 27.3%. The average household cost for paediatric maxillofacial fractures in Ghana was US$ 148.77, with the direct cost component accounting for 76% of this amount. At least half of the parents had some degree of psychological distress from the injury sustained. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the pattern and disease burden of maxillofacial fractures in children is vital in informing preventive strategies, especially for evolving health systems in sub-Saharan Africa.