Prevalence and Variation of Medical Comorbidities in Oral Surgery Patients: A Retrospective Study at Jazan University.

BACKGROUND An aged population is susceptible to chronic diseases, which impacts oral surgery treatment procedures. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence of medical comorbidities in 640 oral surgery patients treated at the College of Dentistry, Jazan University. MATERIAL AND METHODS This single-center observational study investigated medical records of outpatients who visited Jazan University Dental College Hospital in a 1-year period (2018-2019). Patients’ clinical and radiographic archives were screened to obtain relevant data. Categorical and continuous variables were expressed in terms of frequency and mean values, respectively. Differences in variables were statistically analyzed using the chi-square goodness of fit and proportional test, with a probability value P≤0.05 considered significant. RESULTS Analysis of 640 patient records included records of 300 men and 340 women who underwent oral surgery, of whom 176 patients (27.5%), including 97 men and 79 women, had medical comorbidities. The most common comorbidities were endocrine disease (7.03%), cardiovascular disease (6.71%), respiratory disease (4.53%), and hematological disorders (3.43%). Individual diseases that showed higher prevalence were diabetes mellitus (4.68%), hypertension (3.43%), bronchial asthma (2.65%), and anemia (1.4%). Differences by sex were observed in many individual disorders. CONCLUSIONS Outpatients in oral surgery clinics presented a significant variance in the incidence of medical comorbidities, among which diabetes and hypertension were most common. A proper case history is the best preventive measure that helps a surgeon avert medical emergencies and post-surgical complications.

Reviewing the oral pigmented lesions of human immunodeficiency virus with emphasis on the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome a disease with high mortality rates is caused by the well-known human immunodeficiency virus. The disease is characterized by several opportunistic infections owing to the decreased CD4 lymphocyte counts. Oral manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus are vital as they are one of the early manifestations of the disease. Also, they serve as prognostic markers as they correlate with the CD4 lymphocyte counts of the affected individuals. Human immunodeficiency virus is not only common in the adult population but also can affect pediatric patients through vertical transmission. The initial therapeutic strategy for the management of the virus was only the prevention of opportunistic infections. Later in the mid-1990s, antiretroviral therapy was introduced but there was no significant improvement in prognosis. After the advent of combination therapy or the use of three antiretroviral drugs also known as highly active antiretroviral therapy, there has been a marked reduction in human immunodeficiency virus-associated mortality rates. The highly active antiretroviral therapy has several effects on the oral manifestations of the human immunodeficiency virus. The present paper aims to review the oral pigmented lesions associated with human immunodeficiency virus with an emphasis on the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Knowledge and Awareness of Medical Practitioners of Jazan City towards Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as a Specialty.

BACKGROUND: In many health services communities the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) as a discipline is frequently not probably understood. Good awareness towards OMFS among different branches of health services providers is essential for better referral strategies and will be for the benefit of the patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional study was done using a specially prepared questionnaire distributed randomly to 125 general medical practitioners working in Jazan province. In this questionnaire, there were also some close-ended questions to evaluate awareness regarding a variety of conditions treated by the oral and maxillofacial surgeons. RESULTS: Out of 125 participants, 105 (84%) were aware of the oral and maxillofacial surgery as a speciality branch of dentistry. Only 52 (41.6%) participants were aware of the different treatment modalities coming under the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Also in the referral of cases to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 50 (40%) participants referred their oral and maxillofacial region cases to OMS. Tooth removal was the only procedure where most of the medical practitioners knew it is a speciality procedure of the oral and maxillofacial surgeon. For facial fractures, 76 medical practitioners believe it comes under the scope of the orthopaedic surgeon. Similarly, for facial abscesses, 81 and 36 practitioners responded that it is a job of a general surgeon and OMS respectively. CONCLUSION: There is low awareness toward the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the medical community. Knowledge and awareness of the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery can improve the success and promptness of delivery of health services.

Knowledge and Preparedness of Dental Practitioners on Management of Medical Emergencies in Jazan Province.

Medical emergencies are one of the most stressful situations the staff in a dental practice might encounter. The duty of care toward the attending patients obligates suitable preparedness to provide the necessary care if such emergencies ensue. Unfortunately, we found that 22% of the investigated dental clinics had no emergency kit available. Only 38% of the interviewed dentists felt confident to perform CPR, and 18% had no confidence to manage any medical emergency. An MCQ test of 20 questions examining the dentists' knowledge in medical emergencies was distributed, and the level of knowledge was found to be suboptimal. The average score of the interviewed dentists was 10.87 out of 20. Experience and specialty training had a negligible effect on the level of knowledge.

Twelve Impacted Supernumerary Teeth in a Nonsyndromic Patient: A Rare Case Report.

Teeth in excess number than the normal count are called supernumerary teeth. They can be either unilateral or bilateral and single or multiple, found at any place in the dental arch, but most commonly found in the anterior maxillary region. Supernumerary teeth are commonly associated with syndromes when present in more numbers, but can be idiopathic. The present study shows a case report of a 16-year-old female patient who reported with overretained deciduous teeth. A panoramic radiograph showed multiple impacted supernumerary teeth. Based on clinical features and radiographic examination, a diagnosis of idiopathic hyperdontia was given. In such types of patients, management must be planned by a multidisciplinary approach.