ABSTRACT
Objectives: The study aimed to explore the prevalence of malocclusion characteristics in Saudi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed to examine 350 adult patients attending King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard Health Affairs. Data were obtained by self-reported questionnaires and clinical dental examinations. Questionnaires comprised of sociodemographic and oral habits. The clinical dental examination was based on the Basic Methods of the World Health Organization criteria for dentofacial anomalies (1997). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Regarding oral habits; 6% reported thumb sucking, 11% tongue thrusting, 42% mouth breathing and 5.7% had speech problems. The prevalence of dentofacial characteristics of malocclusion was found as follows: 41.5% had crowded in the anterior teeth, 31.4% had spacing in the anterior teeth, 16.6% had Diastema, 49.7% had teeth irregularities, 42.5% had overjet, 18.3% had anterior crossbites and 31.1% had anterior open bite. The risk indicators for crowding were age and gender; for spacing were education, tongue thrusting, and speech problem; for Diastema was education; for teeth irregularities was mouth breathing; and for crossbite were thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and mouth breathing. No risk indicators were associated with anterior overjet and open bite. Conclusion: The prevalence of dentofacial characteristics of malocclusion ranged from 17-50%. The prevalence of oral habits that might cause malocclusion varied from 6% to 44%. Age, gender, education, tongue thrusting, speech problem, mouth breathing; and thumb sucking were risk indicators for malocclusion characteristics.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To explore the prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity and associated risk indicators among Saudi adults in Riyadh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the presence of dentine hypersensitivity in 547 adults who attended the College of Dentistry’s clinics. The assessment tools were questionnaires and clinical dental examinations. Questionnaires included sections of sociodemographic, behavioral, dietary and medical condition variables. Dentine hypersensitivity was examined by passing dental explorers on all teeth surfaces in addition to the application of a blast of cold air from three-in-one syringe. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, One-Way Analysis of variance and correlation coefficient tests. Results: Dentine hypersensitivity was observed in 759 teeth among 182 participants yielding tooth prevalence and person’s prevalence of 4.8% and 33.27% respectively. The mean number of teeth with dentine hypersensitivity was 1.39 teeth per person. Dentine hypersensitivity was not significantly related to gender, marital status, or occupation. Also, dentine hypersensitivity was not related to smoking, brushing, flossing, and sewak uses. Drinking soda and coffee, and eating citrus fruits, pickles and seeds were not significantly correlated to dentine hypersensitivity. No associations of dentine hypersensitivity with diabetes, anorexia or Bulimia Nervosa were found. The mean number of teeth with dentine hypersensitivity was higher among those who use of desensitizing toothpaste and those with GERD. Conclusion: Dentine hypersensitivity was present in 4.8 teeth and in 33.3 persons. No significant associations between demographic, behavioral, and medical conditions variable were observed with dentine hypersensitivity except for desensitizing agents users and those suffering GERD condition.