Radiographic assessment of endodontic accidents at a Nigerian tertiary health institution: a one-year retrospective study

Introduction: Dental treatment can produce iatrogenic injury to the tooth with endodontic procedural errors occurring during the various stages of endodontic treatment. This study determined the prevalence and pattern of endodontic accidents in clinical practice at a tertiary health center in Nigeria. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of teeth treated with conventional hand-held file systems. Digital peri-apical working length, pre-obturation and post obturation radiographic images of teeth which received root canal treatment, were assessed for the presence or absence of errors. All errors present were recorded and data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 22.0. Results: The prevalence of procedural errors was 31.3% with ledges being the most prevalent error followed by transportation while gouging was the least encountered error. Majority (83.8%) of the errors occurred during root canal instrumentation. A higher proportion of molars had errors compared to the other types of teeth with the prevalence of errors increasing from incisors to premolars and then to molar teeth. The mandibular molars were found to be most frequently involved in procedural errors. Conclusion: The prevalence of procedural errors seems high. Practitioners should show greater care during the canal preparation stage and to maintain the accuracy of the working length throughout the procedure, as errors which occur during canal preparation accounted for the vast majority of errors seen in this study. Special care should be taken when working on molars, which had a significantly higher error rate when compared to anterior teeth or premolars

Workplace assault and its' impact to service delivery amongst dental professionals at Tertiary Hospitals in Northern Nigeria

Objective: The growing global public health concern of workplace assaults has necessitated that workers' health and safety be given same priority as patient's safety. The study assessed the prevalence of workplace assault and its' impact on service delivery among dental professionals at tertiary hospitals in Northern Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 60 dental professionals working in tertiary hospitals actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate trainings for dental workforce in Northern Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used in selection of respondents and participation was voluntary. Data was collected using structured self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 23.0 and p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethical approval was received. Results: Sixty percent dentists and 40.0% dental auxiliaries participated in the study. Assault prevalence was 38.3% observed more among dental professionals (44.0%) in their first year in practice. Types of assaults experienced were; non-physical 19 (82.6%) with loud shouting and threats as most frequent, physical 3 (13.0%) with bullying and mobbing most frequent, and combination was 1 (4.4%). Patients (60.9%) and relatives (52.2%) were major culprits, and long appointment (65.2%) and treatment cost (60.9%) were main reasons for assault. Respondents (39.1%) expressed impact on their productivity and 69.6% respondents were ill-prepared to handle it. Conclusion: The prevalence of workplace assaults on dental professionals was fairly high and those in their first year in practice suffer more assault than others. Assault preventive programs should however specifically target this group in consideration with the unique nature and varied needs of each healthcare institutions

Choice of dental specialties among intending residents in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Objective: Various specialties exist in the field of dentistry and are geared towards meeting the specific dental health needs of society. This study was aimed at identifying factors influencing choice of dental specialties among intending residents.Methods: This was a questionnaire based cross-sectional study of all intending dental residents seeking postgraduate training in various specialties at the University of Benin Teaching hospital in September 2015. The questionnaire comprised of sociodemographics,specialty applied for and reasons for choice of specialty. The data collected was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 21.0.Results: A total of 82 respondents were recruited for the study with age range of 25- 44 years and a mean age of 32.43±4.04.There was a male: female ratio of 1:0.6. Oral and maxillofacial surgery had the highest number of applicants (30.5%) with the least number in Oral Medicine (2.4%). Age, gender and marital status had no significant association with choice of specialty.However, majority of males (88.0%) chose Oral and maxillofacial surgery compared to females (12.0%), while all the females (100%) chose to specialize in Periodontics. The most frequent reason for choice of specialty was "Personal desire". All the respondents who applied for Prosthetics and Periodontics felt they possessed the skills suited for the specialty while a significant number of respondents in Conservative Dentistry (85.7%), Paedodontics (80.0%) and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (72.0%) were influenced by the presence of mentors and role models in the specialty, hence their choice and this was statistically significant (p=0.049) . All the respondents who applied for Oral Pathology stated that their specialty choice afforded them with research opportunities and this was followed by 85.7% of those who applied for Community Dentistry. On the other hand, no respondent from Paedodontics felt their specialty choice afforded them with research opportunities. All the respondents across all specialties except two respondents from Community Dentistry stated that family pressure had no influence in their choice of specialty and this was also statistically significant. (p=0.009) Conclusion: There is inequality in quest for specialization in the different dental specialties in Nigeria. There is need for more role models and mentors across all specialties and modalities to increase the personal desire of prospective applicants

Dental habits among 2 to 5 years old children in Benin city

Objective: To assess dental habits and factor associated occlusal traits among 2-5years old children in Benin City, Edo State.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out amongst 352 respondents using systematic sampling technique for selection. Pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS version 21.0 software. The association between socio-demographic variables and dental Habit amongst respondents was analyzed using chi squared test and Fisher's exact test where applicable. The level of significant was set at p < 0.05.Results: The prevalence of Dental habit in the study was found to be 71.0%. Digit sucking was the most prevalent dental Habit in the study 36.0%. The highest proportion of tongue thrusting was found among 3-4years age group while bruxism was higher among 2years old. More than Half the respondents 54.0% believed anxiety to be a predisposing factor to dental habit. Spacing was observed to be prevalent as occlusal trait among respondents 51.7%.Conclusion: The study revealed an overall prevalence of dental habits of 71.0% with higher prevalence of finger sucking, bruxism and lip sucking among males while mouth breathing, tongue thrusting and use of pacifiers was found to be higher among females. The study revealed common predisposing factor to development of dental habit to be stress, anxiety, imitation of habits, loneliness, abandonment. The study revealed a high prevalence of spacing and open bite during the intraoral assessment

Feedback as a means to improve cinical competencies: registrars' perceptions of the quality of feedback provided by consultants in an academic hospital setting

Background. The creating; maintenance and storage of patients' medical records is an important competence for the professional training of a dental student.Objective. Owing to the unsatisfactory state of dental records at the students' clinic; the objective of this study was to obtain information from; undergraduate dental students on the factors that affect this process and elicit recommendations for improvement. Methods. This qualitative cross-sectional study used focus group discussions with 4th- and 5th-year dental students for data collection. Data were captured through a written transcript and an audio recorder. The data were transcribed and analysed manually through developing themes; which were Compared with the literature and interpreted. Results. Three themes emerged: (i) Poorly designed clerking forms. The clerking forms were deemed to have a poor design with inadequate space for clinical notes. It was recommended that they be redesigned. (ii) Inadequate storage space. Space for storing patient records was deemed inadequate and a referencing system for file retrieval was lacking. It was recommended that more space be allocated for storage; with a referencing system for easy file retrieval. (iii) Poor maintenance of records. Patients' records; especially radiographs; were not well labelled and stored. It was recommended that drug envelopes be utilised to store radiographs. An electronic system was deemed the ultimate solution to this problem. Conclusion. The general perception was that the current paper-based record system at the clinic was unsatisfactory. Therefore; there is a need to improve the maintenance and storage of records; and to change to a more efficient electronic system. The students' attitude towards record keeping was found to be questionable; with a need to be addressed as part of teaching and learning in the curriculum. Lecturers were deemed to have a bigger role to play in the record-keeping process

Perceptions of undergraduate dental students at maker ere college of health sciences; Kampala; Uganda towards patient record keeping

Background. The creating; maintenance and storage of patients' medical records is an important competence for the professional training of a dental student. Objective. Owing to the unsatisfactory state of dental records at the students' clinic; the objective of this study was to obtain information from undergraduate dental students on the factors that affect this process and elicit recommendations for improvement. Methods. This qualitative cross-sectional study used focus group discussions with 4th- and 5th-year dental students for data collection. Data were captured through a written transcript and an audio recorder. The data were transcribed and analysed manually through developing themes; which were compared with the literature and interpreted. Results. Three themes emerged: (i) Poorly designed clerking forms. The clerking forms were deemed to have a poor design with inadequate space for clinical notes. It was recommended that they be redesigned. (ii) Inadequate storage space. Space for storing patient records was deemed inadequate and a referencing system for file retrieval was lacking. It was recommended that more space be allocated for storage; with a referencing system for easy file retrieval. (iii) Poor maintenance of records. Patients' records; especially radiographs; were not well labelled and stored. It was recommended that drug envelopes be utilised to store radiographs. An electronic system was deemed the ultimate solution to this problem. Conclusion. The general perception was that the current paper-based record system at the clinic was unsatisfactory. Therefore; there is a need to improve the maintenance and storage of records; and to change to a more efficient electronic system. The students' attitude towards record keeping was found to be questionable; with a need to be addressed as part of teaching and learning in the curriculum. Lecturers were deemed to have a bigger role to play in the record-keeping process

Oral Health Experience during Pregnancy and Dental Service Utilization in Bariadi District; Tanzania

Abstract:A substantial proportion of pregnant women reports experiencing oral health problems during pregnancy. However; most of them perceive that such problems are normal in pregnancy and hence do not seek dentist consultation. The objective of this study was to determine the prenatal oral health experience and the utilization of dental care services among pregnant women attending reproductive and child health clinics in Bariadi District in Tanzania. Data was collected using a questionnaire-guided interview. Key variables were socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women; oral health experience; and dental visits during pregnancy with reasons and treatment received. A total of 305 pregnant women (mean age=25.7 years) were involved in the study. Most of the listed oral health problems during pregnancy were reported by women with 2+ children. The frequent oral health problems among the pregnant women were bleeding gums (22.6; N=69); pain in gums (21.6; N=66); swollen gums (21.3; N=65); dental pain (30.5; N=93); and tooth decay (25.6; n=78). However; only 31.8 (N=97) visited a dental clinic for consultation most whom; were those with three or more children (?2=4.682; P=002). The pregnant women who had visited a dentist in the past 12 months were 11.1 (N=34); mostly those aged 24 years and those with informal employment (P0.05). Curative and preventive treatments were received more significantly by the urban and with formal employment (P0.01). In conclusion; pregnant women in Bariadi; Tanzania experiences substantial oral health problems for which they do not often utilize dentists for consultation and management during pregnancy. Dentists and other health workers should therefore; intensify dental screening; emphasizing active family and community participation as part of regular prenatal care

Proper Daily Brushing and Flossing

"The only way to keep teeth and gums healthy and attractive is to completely remove the film of bacteria (""PLAQUE"") that builds up on every surface of every tooth everyday. How you do that is less important than that you do it thoroughly. Generally; brushing puls flossing is the easiest and best way to get the bacterial film off. Here are some helpful tips to save frustration; and; in the long run; your teeth because unless you can remove the bacterial products that result in dental decay and periodontal disease."

Problems Associated with Toothpicks as Cleaning AIDS

Nowadays whether one is travelling in a taxi; a bus; a commuter or is in a restaurant and other eating places; one notices people picking their teeth all around. Even in offices it is not unusual to find some staff members with toothpicks in their mouths or hands. One wonders whether it has not become a fashion for some individuals. Ideally a toothpick is supposed to aid in cleaning the space between the teeth. Food often gets stuck between the teeth (interdental space). This is common with meat or chicken. The problem gets worse as one advances in age. A physiological process of resorbing bone between the teeth takes place with age creating a wider space that easily accommodates food. No wonder older people find it increasingly difficult to chew their delicious chicken or meat. An impacted food particle in the teeth can be very painful that one fails to rest until it is removed. For this purpose; a toothpick has been found to be handy. It is cheap; easy to acquire. However; a toothpick has its own negative side. A toothpick can break between the teeth. That is another nasty experience. Habitual picking of the teeth gradually irritates the gums and bone so that the bone gets resorbed at a very high rate. A vicious cycle arises. space between the teeth allows food to get stuck; while habitual tooth picking increases this pace. Apart from the space; pockets are gradually formed between the tooth and the receding gums. This becomes a potential source of infection. Therefore; tooth picking should be done only when necessary and with care; but not taken as a habit. Is there an alternative to tooth picking? The answer is yes. The dental floss. This is a thread made of special material so that it doesn't tear between the teeth. It is thin enough to go between very closely packed teeth. A few centimeters of this thread heald on both index fingers would be inserted between the teeth. Using an upward and downward thrust; the space is cleaned of stuck food. The thread is flexible giving it an advantage over a tooth pick. Caution: Even flossing should not be used as a habit because gum irritation is bound to occur

The challenges facing the medical and dental profession in the Seychelles. [editorial]

Medical and dental services in the Seychelles have expanded rapidly over the past decade and a half. The profession now faces the task of adapting and improvising these services to meet both the needs of the public its serves; and its own needs; in the 21st century. The formation of the present Seychelles Medical and Dental Association; and the launching of the Association's journal; have come about as part of the response to these needs

A brief history of the medical and dental profession in Seychelles

The history of the modern medicine in Seychelles is described here. Indeed; the history goes back to the arrival of the first settlers on 27 th August; 1770. It means that the first the Doctor to work in these Islands was a colonist. The Seychelles got their own Doctor in 1928

The birth and growth of dentistry in Seychelles

The first reported practice of Dentistry by an unqualified operator is that of a Mr Cocotte in South Mahe. He used to go from door to door enquiring if there any children needing extractions. Armed with a pair of forceps and a towel on which to wipe them; he charged five cents a tooth. Tradionally; local treatment for toothhache made use of the coconut and the cinnamon trees

The Seychelles dental service

The Seychelles dental service forms part of the primary health care division of the Ministry of Health. It promotes the oral health of the people by giving effect to the policies of the Ministry and Government. It is worthwhile examining in some detail the meaning of oral health of all people. The implications are extensive. It requires an all embracing dental service to be offered to the public

The role non-governmental organisations can play in the improvement of dental health care in Uganda

The World Health Organizations (WHO) defines health as complete physical; mental and social wellbeing not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Dental health is included in this definition. For this reason non-governmental organisations can play a vital role. They have some political characteristics which make them well placed to make a significant contribution to health in general and to dental health in particular

Bilan d'une annee d'activites therapeutiques au sein du service dentaire de l'hopital provincial de Mouila (Gabon)

Dans ce travail; les auteurs presentent le bilan d'un an d'activites therapeutiques dentaires realisees dans un service dentaire au Gabon. Tout d'abord; ils exposent les objectifs de l'etude. Les resultats sont presentes sous forme de diagrammes clairs et precis. Enfin; en derniere partie; ils font une analyse succincte de ces resultats