Periodontal health of a low socioeconomic level population in Yucatan (Mexico): A cross-sectional study.

With the objective of assessing the periodontal health status, treatment needs, and oral hygiene habits of the population of Mérida, in Mexico, a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. Four hundred forty individuals individually completed a questionnaire on oral health, oral hygiene habits, and quality of life. Additionally, a complete clinical dental examination was performed for each. For the statistical analysis, continuous variables (means and standard deviation) and categorical variables (frequencies) were studied. The associations were made using the analysis of variance test for continuous variables and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. The critical value to identify statistically significant differences was P < .05. The main concern of the population was the possible untreated caries they thought they had, with 36.21% followed by pain with 14.62%. Possible periodontal issues were the main discomfort for only 9%. The percentage of the sample that required periodontal intervention by a specialist was 21.14%. Statistically significant differences were found between age, place of residence, socioeconomic level, and schooling. There are great deficiencies in oral health in the studied group, which is accompanied by a great need for periodontal treatment. Periodontal health is closely related to oral hygiene, so the related sociocultural level should also be taken into account for the study of oral health in the most vulnerable populations. It is crucial to establish strategies to promote oral health.

Descriptive Study of Oral Health in an Indigenous Child Population of Baka Pygmies in Cameroon.

Indigenous populations around the world experience a disproportionate burden of oral diseases and health conditions. These inequalities are likely due to a complex web of socioeconomic, cultural, and health determinants. The Baka pygmies of southern Cameroon find themselves in this context of an indigenous population with health inequities. The purpose of this study was to describe the oral health status, diet, hygiene habits, and access to health services of the Baka pygmy children, from which different care needs will emerge in order to develop health strategies. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 22 Baka pygmy camps randomly selected. The study population consisted of children aged 5-6 years and 11-12 years chosen by a consecutive sampling technique. The examination was performed using a data sheet based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and recommendations which consisted of an oral health questionnaire for children and an oral health assessment form for children. A total of 120 children participated in the study. Extraoral examination of the study population revealed the presence of noma (1%) in the age range of 5-6 years. A total of 2713 teeth were examined, and the DMFT/dft index of the sample was 0.71 with a predominant caries component. The periodontal status showed 87% bleeding on probing. Seven percent of the sample presented a need for immediate urgent treatment due to pain and/or infection. Eighty-seven percent of the sample reported never having been examined by a dentist. The examination and oral care they received was only from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The conclusion of this descriptive study is that the precarious oral health situation of pygmy children combined with the absence of care services in general for the Baka pygmies generate a situation of great vulnerability.

Complications Arising from Dental Trauma Incurred from Falls Involving Geriatric Patients: A Case Report.

Elderly patients have a high incidence of falls that result in facial injuries. Many cases present with dental crown fractures and soft-tissue lacerations. The initial diagnosis is especially important in this type of dental trauma, since an initial error can result in the failure to establish the correct treatment from the very beginning, worsening the prognosis, which, in the worst case, can compromise the teeth affected by the trauma. Case report: We present the case of a patient, a 79-year-old woman, who suffered an accidental fall. The patient was examined by a dentist in the emergency room. She was diagnosed with a simple crown fracture of the right upper central incisor and right upper lateral incisor without any pulpal involvement and with laceration of the lower lip. Months later, she had an episode of inflammation in the lower lip, and she developed edema and pain. An X-ray of the lower lip revealed a radiopaque mass compatible with a fragment of dental tissue due to the inclusion of remnants of the dental tissue resulting from the previous accident fall. Conclusions: The population of geriatric patients is steadily increasing in our society, and a higher frequency of falls has been observed in this age group, affecting the maxillofacial region, with consequent dental trauma on many occasions. Therefore, as professionals, we must pay special attention to the prevention and treatment of this problem, insisting on the importance of routine investigation in the emergency visit for dental trauma, which includes a meticulous examination of the soft tissues accompanied by a radiographic examination, when the inclusion of foreign bodies is suspected.

Cross-Sectional Study on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Using OHIP-14 in Migrants Children in Melilla (Spain).

Quality of life is a parameter that not only evaluates clinical parameters, but also refers to the perception of the individual in his or her sociocultural context. It also refers to psychosocial aspects that have a very important impact on people's lives. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) must also be considered when assessing oral health in any population for which an oral health program is to be developed. On this premise, and taking into account the precarious situation of refugee children housed in the Temporary Center for Migrants (CETI) in Melilla (Spain), a study was conducted to assess the oral health and OHRQoL of the children housed in the aforementioned facility. For this purpose, the 120 children in care at the time of the study underwent a basic epidemiological examination according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), and their OHRQoL was assessed using the specific OHIP-14 questionnaire. The results show a state of oral health with a high caries prevalence (95%), high DMFT, and dft indices for the studied population. The oral health-related quality of life perceived by these children shows that pain and psychological discomfort are the areas rated worst by them. Thus, it is concluded that it is important to implement specific oral health programs for this population, based on caries prevention and pain management, which must also take into account the psychological and sociocultural aspects that have accompanied their lives.

Epidemiological Study of Oral Health among Children and Adolescent Schoolchildren in Melilla (Spain).

Dental epidemiological studies are essential for analysing and evaluating the population's health state and dental treatments provided, as well as for planning future oral health programme activities and interventions based on their findings. In order to determine the health condition of children and adolescents in connection to the prevalence of caries, caries indices (decayed and filled teeth (dft) for primary teeth and decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) in permanent teeth) and periodontal indices (community periodontal index (CPI)), oral exams of children and adolescents aged 6, 12 and 15 from selected schools were conducted. To assess the achievement of the oral health objectives set for Spain in 2020, these data were compared with those acquired at the national level. At 6 years of age, 278 children were examined, the prevalence of caries was 55.6%, the dft index was 2.77 (±3.44), the DMFT was 0.19 (±0.16), the restorative index (RI) was 4.62%, and the significant caries (SiC) index was 8.40 (±2.07). At 12 years of age, 208 students were examined, the prevalence of caries found was 65.86%, the DMFT index was 1.85 (±2.22), the RI was 36.63%, the SiC index was 5.43 (±2.07), and children without the presence of periodontal pathology was 59.13%. At 15 years of age, 165 students were examined, the prevalence of caries was 70.06%, the DMFT was 3.08 (±3.39), the RI was 42.42%, the SiC index was 8.10 (±2.55), and adolescents without periodontal disease was 47.90%. Conclusions: Melilla-born children and adolescents had higher caries indicators and indices than the corresponding national averages for Spain. Teenagers under the age of 15 have a particularly high frequency of dental caries. The investigation of the children's origin is where there is the most disparity. Children of Berber descent have much higher values than children of European heritage.