Factors associated with dental clinic use by clients in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria, like many other countries, faced challenges in dental care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating limited care to emergencies only. However, the impact of restricted access to dental services on oral health remains a concern, particularly with preventive maintenance care. This study aims to identify the factors associated with dental service utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic among patients attending dental clinics in Nigeria, and their sources of information about COVID-19. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 500 participants who had visited dental clinics before and during the pandemic. Data were collected through telephone interviews and online questionnaires between September and December 2021. Inferential analyses were conducted using ordered logistic regression models to assess the association between the independent (awareness of emergency dental treatments, knowledge of COVID-19 transmission routes in dentistry, awareness of required preparations in dental practice settings, fear of COVID-19 infection in dental settings), and dependent (utilization of dental services during the pandemic) variables after adjusting for confounding variables (age, sex, educational status, COVID-19 vaccinations status and COVID-19 status of live-in residents). The sources of COVID-19 information by dental patients was also identified. Statistical significance was established at 95% confidence level with a p value < 0.05. RESULTS: Many participants were males (51.2%) and had tertiary education (61.6%). Fear of COVID-19 infection in dental settings was significantly associated with lower odds of utilizing dental care services during the pandemic (Adjusted Odds Ratio: -0.06, 95% Confidence Interval: -0.08, -0.01). The main sources of COVID-19 information were mass media and social networks, with only 42% receiving information from dental professionals. CONCLUSION: Fear of COVID-19 infection in dental settings significantly influenced dental service utilization during the pandemic. Strategies to address fear and improve communication channels between dental professionals and patients are essential for promoting oral health during similar crises.

A scoping review on the links between sustainable development goal 14 and early childhood caries.

BACKGROUND: The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 addresses life below the waters, an important source of protein and contributor to global food security and economic development. Our aim was to explore possible evidence on the links between life below water and early childhood caries (ECC). METHODS: This scoping review identified articles on the link between life below water and caries according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) were systematically searched in January 2023, using specific search terms. Studies written in English, with full text available, addressing life under water, focusing on dental caries in humans, with results that can be extrapolated to control ECC in children less than 6 years of age were included in the review. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the retrieved papers and graphical presentation was used for visualization. RESULTS: There were 224 publications retrieved of which 13 studies, published between 1960 and 2022, were included in the analysis. The papers originated from Asia (7/13), North America (3/13), Europe (1/13), and 2/13 had multi-country authorship. Also, four laboratory studies extracted agents from marine products to determine their efficacy in preventing caries formation and preventing/slowing plaque formation; four letters discussed the caries prevention potential of sea salt as a source of fluoride; and two review articles about the positive effects of extracted marine products for caries prevention. Most (11/13) studies addressed target 14.1 concerned with enriching the marine environment with nutrients and minerals; two addressed target 14.4 focused on ensuring fish stocks are within biologically sustainable levels; two addressed target 14.7 aimed at increasing the economic benefits through sustainable use of marine resources such as fisheries; and one focused on target 14.5 aimed at conserving marine areas by increasing protected areas. In addition, one ecological study assessed the association between the ecosystem and ECC. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there is little known about the impact of protection of marine and coastal ecosystem from pollution and ocean acidification on the risk of ECC. Further evidence on possible associations between life below water and ECC management is needed.

Governance, maternal well-being and early childhood caries in 3-5-year-old children.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the direct, indirect and total effect of distal - political - risk indicators (affecting populations), and proximal risk indicators (affecting women) on the global prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in 3-5 year old children. METHODS: Data on global ECC prevalence were obtained from a prior study. Data for distal risk indicators (voice and accountability; political stability/absence of terrorism; control of corruption) were obtained from the World Bank Governance indicators, 2016. Data for proximal risk indicators (women's opportunity for leadership; percentage of female legislators, top officials and managers; basic employability status of women; ability of women to afford time off work to care for newborns; gross national income (GNI) per capita for females) were derived from the Human Development Index, 2016. Associations between variables were assessed with path analysis. RESULTS: Voice and accountability (ß = - 0.60) and GNI per capita for females (ß = - 0.33) were directly associated with a lower ECC prevalence. Political stability/absence of terrorism (ß =0.40) and higher percentage of female legislators, senior officials and managers (ß = 0.18) were directly associated with a higher ECC prevalence. Control of corruption (ß = - 0.23) was indirectly associated with a lower ECC prevalence. Voice and accountability (ß = 0.12) was indirectly associated with a higher ECC prevalence. Overall, voice and accountability (ß = - 0.49), political stability/absence of terrorism (ß = 0.34) and higher female GNI (ß = - 0.33) had the greatest effects on ECC prevalence. CONCLUSION: Distal risk indicators may have a stronger impact on ECC prevalence than do proximal risk indicators.. Approaches to control ECC may need to include political reforms.

Age and reasons for first dental visit among children in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: An early first dental clinic appointment offers the prospect of prompt preventative care and parental education regarding the oral health of the child. The evidence-based recommendation by dental professionals all over the world is that a child should visit a dentist before or by 1 year of age. AIM: This study aimed to determine the chronological age at and the purpose for a first dental clinic visit amongst children aged 16 years and below attending the Paediatric Dental Clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted amongst children who attended the Paediatric Dental Clinic at the LUTH between January 2017 and December 2018. Data on age at first dental visit, reasons for attending and other information relevant to the study were collected. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were conducted, and the level of significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 1157 children were studied, comprising 580 (50.5%) males and 577 (49.9%) females. Their mean age on their first dental visit was 7.9 ± 3.7 years. Most of the children (31.4%) had their first dental visits at 7 and 9 years, and 0.8% of the children had their first dental visit below the age of 1 year. The most common reason for visiting the dental clinic was dental pain (33.1%). A higher proportion of the children (911 [79.0%]) had their first dental visit for therapeutic purposes, whereas 246 (21.0%) children visited the dental clinic for preventive care. Sex and age at first dental visit were statistically significantly associated with the reason for attendance (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Most children had their first dental visit between the ages of 7 and 9 years, mainly because of pain. It is necessary to create more awareness among parents/caregivers and to establish the concept of dental home.

General anxiety, dental anxiety, digit sucking, caries and oral hygiene status of children resident in a semi-urban population in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Digit sucking can represent untreated anxiety or other emotional problems. The aim of this study was to determine if digit sucking is a predictor of general anxiety and dental anxiety; and if general and dental anxiety are associated with caries and oral hygiene status of children resident in sub-urban Nigeria. METHODS: This was a secondary data analysis of a household survey conducted in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The level of general anxiety and dental anxiety of 450 6 to12 year old children were measured using the Revised Child Manifest Anxiety Scale and Dental Subscale of the Child Fear Survey Schedule respectively. Presence of digit sucking habit, caries and oral hygiene status were determined. General anxiety and dental anxiety scores were dichotomized into low and high levels respectively. Logistic regression was conducted to determine if digit sucking was a predictor of general anxiety and dental anxiety; and if general anxiety and dental anxiety were predictors caries and good oral hygiene status. Adjustments were made for age and sex. RESULTS: Digit sucking is not a significant predictor of dental anxiety (p = 0.99) and general anxiety (p = 0.79). Children with high general anxiety (AOR: 5.02; 95% CI: 2.9-9.74; p <  0.001) and high dental anxiety (AOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.15-2.65; p = 0.009) had higher odds of having caries and good oral hygiene respectively. CONCLUSION: Digit sucking was not a significant predictor of general anxiety and dental anxiety. General and dental anxiety however, had effects on the likelihood of having caries and good oral hygiene.

Developmental defects of the enamel and its impact on the oral health quality of life of children resident in Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Developmental defects of the enamel (DDE) increase the risk for diseases that impact negatively on the quality of life. The objective of this study was to compare the oral health quality of life of children with molar-incisor-hypomineralisation (MIH) and enamel hypoplasia; and assess if caries worsened the impact of these lesions on the quality of life. METHODS: This study recruited 853 6 to 16-years-old school children. They filled the Child-OIDP questionnaire. The MIH, enamel hypoplasia, caries and oral hygiene status was assessed. Poisson regression was used to determine the impact of MIH and enamel hypoplasia on the oral health quality of life, after adjusting for the effect of sex, age, socioeconomic class, oral hygiene and caries status. RESULTS: The prevalence of MIH and enamel hypoplasia was 2.9% and 7.6% respectively. There was no significant difference in the mean child-OIDP scores of children with or without MIH (p = 0.57), children with or without enamel hypoplasia (p = 0.48), and children with enamel hypoplasia with and without caries (p = 0.30). Children with enamel hypoplasia and caries had worse outcomes for speaking (p = 0.01). Children with middle (AOR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.60-4.67; P < 0.01) and low (AOR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.04-2.95; p = 0.03) socioeconomic status, and those with caries (AOR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.26-3.22; p = 0.03) had their oral health quality of life negatively impacted. CONCLUSION: MIH and enamel hypoplasia had no significant impact on the overall oral health quality of life of children resident in southwestern Nigeria. However, children with caries and those from middle and low socioeconomic classes had poorer oral health quality of life.

Barriers and facilitators of dental service utilization by children aged 8 to 11 years in Enugu State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Multiple factors influence a child's ability to access oral health care. The aim of this study was to identify factors that facilitated and served as barriers to children's utilization of oral health care services in Enugu, Nigeria. METHODS: The study recruited 1406 primary school pupils aged 8 to 11 years. All the children received oral health education, with the aid of an oral health education curriculum appropriate for their age. After this, referral letters were given to the children. Twelve months later, the study participants were revisited in their schools to obtain information on their reasons for utilizing, or not utilizing an oral health care service in the last 12 months. The association between socio-economic status; form of parenthood; number of siblings, birth rank and reasons for utilization and non-utilization of dental services were assessed. Influence on the child's predisposition to oral health service utilization on dental visit was also assessed. RESULTS: Only 116 (14.7 %) of the 791 children accessible during the 12 months follow-up visit had visited the dental clinic and the main reason for utilization was the desire to fulfill the dentist's request for dental visit (41.9 %) while parents' inability to make out time for a dental visit (43.3 %) was the main reason for non-utilization. The odds of utilizing oral health care services for study participants from the middle (AOR: 0.50; CI: 0.31-0.79; P = 0.003) and low (AOR: 0.24; CI: 0.13-0.45; p = <0.001) socioeconomic strata, and those living with guardians/relatives (AOR: 0.08; CI: 0.01-0.60; p = 0.01) were decreased when compared to those living with both parents, respectively. Respondents with positive perception about dental service utilization had increased odds of utilizing oral health care (AOR: 2.96; CI: 1.48-5.90; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Dentists can be strong motivators for children to utilize oral health care. Time is a significant barrier for the utilization of dental services. The programs designed to address barriers to oral health care utilization for children should be geared towards overcoming the possible threats that socio-economic status and type of parents they have may pose, to reduce inequity in dental service utilization.

Prevalence of developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies and association with caries and oral hygiene status of children in Southwestern, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Developmental dental hard tissue anomalies are often associated with oral health problems. This study determined the clinical prevalence of developmental dental hard tissue anomalies in the permanent dentition of children resident in southwestern Nigeria and its association with dental caries and poor oral hygiene status. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study recruiting 1565 school children, 12 to 15 year old attending schools in Ibadan, Oyo State and Ile-Ife, Osun State. All eligible study participants had oral examinations conducted to determine presence of developmental hard dental tissue anomalies, caries and oral hygiene status. The prevalence of developmental dental hard tissue anomalies was determined. Logistic Poisson regression was used to determine the association of between developmental dental hard tissue anomalies, caries and oral hygiene status. RESULTS: Only 65 (4.2 %) children had clinically diagnosed developmental dental hard tissue anomalies. The most prevalent anomaly was enamel hypoplasia (2.2 %). More females (p = 0.003) and more children with middle socioeconomic class (p = 0.001) had enamel hypoplasia. The probability of having poor oral hygiene was significantly increased for children with developmental dental anomalies (APR: 0.07; 95 % CI: 0.03 - 0.12; p = 0.002). The probability of having caries was insignificantly increased for children with developmental dental hard tissue anomalies (APR: 0.005; 95 % CI: -0.03 - 0.04; p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: The most prevalence clinically detectable developmental dental hard tissue anomalies for the study population was enamel hypoplasia. The presence of developmental dental hard tissue anomalies significantly increased the chances of having poor oral hygiene but not caries. Further studies are required to understand if poor oral hygiene is associated with dental caries in children with developmental dental hard tissue anomalies.

Prevalence, and early childhood caries risk indicators in preschool children in suburban Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is defined as the presence of caries lesion in an primary tooth in children below the age of 71 months. It is a significant public health problem with consequences for the growth and development of affected children. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and ECC risk indicators in a suburban population in Nigeria. METHODS: The data of 497 children aged 6 months to 71 months who were recruited through a household survey conducted in Ile-Ife, Nigeria was analysed for prevalence of ECC and risk indicators. Information on children's ages, sex, socioeconomic status, tooth brushing habits, sugary snacks consumption, use of fluoridated toothpaste, birth rank, infant-feeding practices, breastfeeding practices, maternal age at childbirth, and maternal knowledge of oral health was obtained. Children's oral hygiene and caries status was also determined. Risk factors associated with ECC were determined using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-three (6.6%) children had ECC. Four (0.8%) had severe ECC. The four risk indicators for ECC were the child's gender, mothers' knowledge of oral health, consumption of sugary snacks in between meals more than three times a day, and the child's oral hygiene status. Females (PR: -0.06; 95% CI: -0.01- -0.01; p = 0.02), and children with mothers who had good knowledge of oral health (PR: -0.06; 95% CI: -0.11--0.008; p = 0.02) were less likely to have ECC. Children who consumed sugary snacks in between meals three times a day or more (PR: 0.05; CI: 0.003 - 0.01; P = 0.04) and children with fair oral hygiene (PR: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.005-0.10; p = 0.03) were more likely to have ECC. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ECC in the study population was low. Promoting good oral hygiene practices and enhancing mothers' knowledge of oral health may help reduce further, the risk for ECC in the study population.

Appraisal of the national response to the caries epidemic in children in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: This article reviews the caries profile for children in Nigeria and proposes an appropriate framework for addressing the silent caries epidemic. DISCUSSION: We reviewed the caries prevalence among children in Nigeria, assessed the existing responses to the caries epidemic including the national oral healthcare delivery situation in the country and discussed the current caries management in children. We then proposed a response framework for Nigeria. We argue that successful interventions will require the adoption of a socio-ecological model. This would ensure that the micro-, meso-, exo- and macrosystems required to support the behavioural, structural and biological interventions for promoting caries prevention are addressed. National oral health surveys are required to help understand the epidemiology, social determinants of and factors that undermine the ability of children to access oral health care. A global caries prevention agenda for children would help get the government's support for a national response agenda. Currently, there is no global call for action on the caries epidemic in children. This lack of an agenda needs to be urgently addressed. SUMMARY: A combination of approaches for the prevention of caries in children in Nigeria is needed. A national survey is needed to generate the needed evidence for the planning of community relevant responses to the national caries epidemic in children. The design of a global health agenda for children is an important first step that can facilitate the development of a national oral health programme for children in Nigeria.

Preventive oral health practices of school pupils in Southern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: One of the goals of the World Health Organisation goal is to ensure increased uptake of preventive oral self-care by 2020. This would require the design public health programmes that will ensure children place premium on preventive oral health care uptake. One effort in that direction is the need for countries to define baseline measures on use of preventive oral self-care measures by their population as well as identify factors that impact on its use. This study aims to determine the prevalence and the impact of age and sex on the use of recommended oral self-care measures by pupils in Southern Nigeria. METHODS: Pupils age 8 to 16 years (N = 2,676) in two urban sites in Southern Nigeria completed a questionnaire about recommended oral self-care (use of fluoridated toothpaste, flossing, regularity of consuming sugary snacks between main meals), time of the last dental check-up and cigarette smoking habit. Chi square was used to test association between age (8-10years, 11-16 years), sex, and use of recommended oral self-care. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of use of recommended oral self-care. RESULTS: Only 7.8% of the study population practiced the recommended oral self-care. Older adolescents had an 8.0% increased odds (OR: 1.08; CI:0.81-1.43; p = 0.61) and males had a 20.0% decreased odds (OR: 0.80; CI:0.60-1.06; p = 0.12) of practicing recommended oral self-care though observed differences were not statistically significant. Very few respondents (12.7%) had visited the dental clinic for a check-up in the last one year. Majority of the respondents (92.2%) were non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a combination of oral self-care approaches was very low for this study population. Age and sex were predictive factors for the use of components of the oral self-care measures but not significant predictors of use of recommended oral self-care. Future studies would be required to understand 'why' and 'how' age and sex impacts on the use of caries preventive oral self-care measures to be able to design effective prevention educational programmes for the study population.

The prevalence, pattern and clinical presentation of developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies in children with primary and mix dentition from Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The study of dental anomalies is important because it generates information that is important for both the anthropological and clinical management of patients. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and pattern of presentation of dental hard-tissue developmental anomalies in the mix dentition of children residing in Ile-Ife, a suburban region of Nigeria. METHODS: Information on age, sex and socioeconomic status was collected from 1,036 children aged four months to 12 years through a household survey. Clinical examination was conducted to assess the presence of dental anomalies. Associations between age, sex, socioeconomic status, prevalence, and pattern of presentation of the developmental hard-tissue dental anomalies were determined. RESULT: Two hundred and seventy six (26.6%) children had dental anomalies. Of these, 23.8% had one anomaly, 2.5% had two anomalies, and 0.3% had more than two anomalies. Of the children with anomalies, 49.3%were male, 50.7%were female, and 47.8%, 28.6% and 23.6% were children from low, middle and high socioeconomic classes, respectively. More anomalies were seen in permanent than primary dentition. Anomalies of tooth structure were most prevalent (16.1%); anomalies which affect tooth number were least prevalent (1.3%). Dens evaginatus, peg-shaped lateral, macrodontia, and talon cusp were more prevalent in the permanent dentition, and dens evaginatus peg-shaped lateral and macrodontia were more prevalent in the maxilla. There were significantly more macrodontia anomalies in males and in children of high socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: This large survey of dental hard-tissue anomalies found in the primary dentition and mixed dentition of children in Nigeria provides anthropological and clinical data that may aid the detection and management of dental problems of children in Nigeria.

Programme guidelines for promoting good oral health for children in Nigeria: a position paper.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this paper is to draw attention to the oral health needs of children in Nigeria, and promote the use of appropriate interventions for disease prevention in the population. It also evaluates the value of the ongoing twice-daily tooth brushing campaign, which focuses on promoting good periodontal health and its relevance for children in Nigeria. DISCUSSION: The main oral health burden for children in Nigeria is untreated dental caries, attributable to low utilization of oral health facilities. While there is a strong association between oral hygiene status and caries occurrence, no research had established an association between frequency of tooth brushing and caries in children in Nigeria. Prevalence of caries and gingivitis is low, despite the fact that a majority of children brush once a day and most of them have fair oral hygiene. Campaigns that promote twice daily brushing to prevent chronic periodontitis in children are not driven by evidences supporting the local epidemic, and therefore cannot be considered as efficient use of the limited resources available. SUMMARY: Existing evidences show that the main oral health need of children in Nigeria is the management of untreated caries. Promoting the treatment of caries should be the primary focus of oral health programmes for children in Nigeria, as this would reduce further risks of developing new carious lesions. Public health campaigns should focus efforts at creating demand for oral health care services, for both preventive and curative purposes.

Association between knowledge of caries preventive practices, preventive oral health habits of parents and children and caries experience in children resident in sub-urban Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to assess the association between children and parents' knowledge of caries preventive practices, the parents' caries preventive oral health behaviours and children's caries preventive oral health behaviour and caries experience. METHOD: Three hundred and twenty four participants aged 8-12 years, 308 fathers and 318 mothers were recruited through a household survey conducted in Suburban Nigeria. A questionnaire was administered to generate information on fathers, mothers and children's knowledge of caries prevention measures and their oral health behaviour. Clinical examination was conducted on the children to determine their dmft/DMFT. Analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of the children's good oral health behaviour. RESULT: The mothers' oral health behaviours were significant predictors of the children's oral health behaviours. Children who had good knowledge of caries prevention measures had significant increased odds of brushing their teeth twice daily or more. The children's caries prevalence was 13.9%, the mean dmft was 0.2 and the mean DMFT was 0.09. None of the dependent variables could predict the presence of caries in children. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the effect of maternal oral health behaviour on the oral health behaviour of children aged 8 years to 12 years in suburban Nigeria. A pilot study is needed to evaluate how enhanced maternal preventive oral health practices can improve the oral health preventive practices of children.

Assessment of Oral Health Knowledge of Pharmacists in Two Tertiary Hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria.

Introduction: Oral health is defined as a state of being free of mouth and facial pain, oral infections and sores, and other diseases that limit an individual's capacity for biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial well-being. This study assessed the knowledge, barriers, and facilitators of oral health knowledge among Pharmacists in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 163 pharmacists in two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, South East, Nigeria. Data on sociodemographic profiles, knowledge of oral health care, barriers, and facilitators of oral health knowledge was collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were more female 96 (58.9%) than male pharmacists 67 (41.1%). Their mean age was 32.98 ± 8.33 years. The majority of respondents, 56 (34.4%) graduated between 2010 and 2019, and 44 (27%) had additional qualifications. Many of the pharmacists 88 (54%) believed that oral health is part of general health. Also, 107 (65.6%) of the respondents had a good knowledge of oral health while 56 (34.4%) had poor knowledge. There was a significant association between academic qualification (P = 0.04) and having good knowledge of oral health care among pharmacists with those with additional qualifications having better knowledge than the others. Poor creation of oral health awareness by dentists 106 (65.0%) was considered as the main barrier to having good oral health knowledge by the pharmacists. Conclusion: More than half of the pharmacists had good knowledge of oral health and academic qualification was associated with having a good knowledge of oral health care among pharmacists in the study population.

Social predictors of oral hygiene status in school children from suburban Nigeria.

Oral hygiene, which is measured by the status of plaque-free tooth surfaces, is essential for the promotion of oral health. This study aimed to determine the social predictors of good oral hygiene for children in a suburban population in Nigeria. This was a secondary analysis of data. The study participants were 8- to 16-year-old children who were residents in Ile-Ife, which is a suburban population in Nigeria. Information on the age, gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, number of siblings and birth rank of each study participant was retrieved from the an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Oral hygiene status was determined through a simplified-oral hygiene index (OHI-S) and categorized as good, fair and poor. The association between oral hygiene status and sociodemographic variables was determined. The predictors of good oral hygiene were determined using a binomial regression analysis. Data on 2,107 individuals were retrieved, of which 44.8% had good oral hygiene and 17.1% had poor oral hygiene. The odds of having good oral hygiene were reduced for children who were 13 to 16 years old (p = 0.02) or male (P=0.002) and children with low socioeconomic status (p ≤ 0.001). The odds of having good oral hygiene increased for children who were last-born compared with those who were first-born (p = 0.02). Age, gender, socioeconomic status and birth-rank were significant social predictive factors of oral hygiene status among the study population. Based on these findings, targeted interventions can be conducted to improve the oral hygiene status of children and adolescents with these social profiles.

Pattern of patients' attendance to the dental clinic of federal college of dental technology and therapy, Enugu, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Oral health is part of general health and should not be considered in isolation, as it contributes to the individual's health related quality of life. The study aimed at assessing the pattern of attendance to the dental clinic using dental records of patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 6008 retrieved case notes from the dental clinic of Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, from June, 2016 to May, 2017. Data on age, sex and occupation were retrieved from the dental records of the institution. Association between age, sex, occupation and patient flow to dental clinic was determined. RESULTS: More females (55.7%) than males (44.3%) attended the dental clinic within the study period. Also, those aged 16 to 30 years (39.5%) and school pupils/students (40.8%) attended dental clinic the most when compared to other attendees. Patient flow was greatest in the first quarter of the year (27.1%), followed by the third quarter (26.1%). However, patient flow was least in the last quarter (20.9%). There was significant association between age (P < 0.001), occupation (P = 0.03) and patient flow to dental clinic in yearly quarters. CONCLUSION: Being an adolescent or young adult and being a student were significantly associated with patient flow to the dental clinic in yearly quarters in the study area. Patient flow was greatest in the first quarter and least in the last quarter of the year. There is need to increase dental awareness, especially for preventive visit among older age group and non-students in the populace.

Habit-breaking methods employed by mothers of children with nonnutritive sucking habits resident in suburban Nigeria.

CONTEXT: Parents are often concerned about their children's nonnutritive sucking (NNS) habits and may institute mechanisms to try to break them. AIM: The study identified various methods instituted by mothers resident in a suburban Nigeria to break NNS habits of children, reasons for wanting to break the habit, and the association between instituted methods and sociodemographic profile of the mothers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of 129 mothers of children aged 4 years to 12 years who had NNS habits at the time of conducting a household survey were analyzed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Tests of associations were conducted to determine the association between maternal age and level of education and methods employed to break child's NNS habits. RESULTS: Eighty-four mothers (65.1%) made efforts to break the habit. Habit persisting to older age was the main concern. The most common method employed for breaking habits was punishing the child (54.8%).Only 7 (20.0%) mothers who were concerned about NNS habit(s) sought professional advice. A greater though insignificant percentage of mothers in the 25-34 years age group (57.2%; P = 0.48) and those with secondary school level of education (56.0%; P = 0.12) made efforts to break their children's NNS habits. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of mothers were concerned about their children's NNS habits. However, very few concerned mothers sought professional advice. Efforts need to be made to improve the public awareness about the availability of professional services for managing NNS habits and potential impact of employing nonprofessional methods to break habits.