Exploring Malaysian schoolchildren's perception of the advantages and disadvantages of the ToothPoly board game: a qualitative study.

The effectiveness of children's oral health education (OHE) is determined by the appropriateness of the educational materials used, which can influence their attitude towards oral health. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the benefits of OHE materials from the perspective of schoolchildren. This study aimed to explore schoolchildren's opinions on the newly developed ToothPoly board game as an OHE tool. A qualitative approach using focus group discussions (FGDs) was conducted among 44 schoolchildren aged 12 years old from a public school in Malaysia. Convenience sampling was employed to recruit the schoolchildren. The ToothPoly board game was playtested and FGDs were conducted after the playtesting session ended. Data collection and analyses were performed concurrently until data saturation was reached. The data were transcribed and coded using Atlas.Ti software version 9.1.3 followed by the framework method analysis. Mixed opinions were observed among the schoolchildren with a majority expressing favourable opinions on the advantages of the ToothPoly board game as an OHE tool. Five themes emerged from the advantages aspect, i.e., fun and enjoyable, promote focus, attention and oral health-related learning, attractive board game features, and enhance peer interaction. Meanwhile, two themes emerged that were related to the disadvantages of the board game, i.e., "competition with online games and media" and "not practical for a large group activity". The findings showed that the ToothPoly board game was perceived as a useful, interactive, and enjoyable tool to learn about oral health in small groups. The findings of the study highlight the importance of tailoring OHE activities to fulfil the needs of specific target groups to ensure its acceptance and future success.

Retrospective analysis of dental treatment under general anesthesia among children with early childhood caries in Malaysia.

Many children are affected by early childhood caries (ECC) with some requiring dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA). In pediatric dentistry, GA is one of the established methods of behavior management. GA data is useful for understanding the caries burden among young children. This study aimed to determine the trends, patient characteristics, and types of treatments conducted under GA among young children in a Malaysian dental hospital over a 7-year period. A retrospective study using pediatric patient records from 2013 to 2019 was conducted on children aged 2-6 years (24-71 months) having ECC. Relevant data were collected and analyzed. In total, 381 children with a mean age of 49.8 months were identified. Some of the ECC cases were associated with abscesses (32.5%) and multiple retained roots (36.7%). Over a 7-year period, there was an upward trend of preschool children receiving GA. Of the 4713 carious teeth treated, 55.1% were extracted, 29.9% were restored, 14.3% had preventive procedures, and 0.4% were pulp treated. Mean extractions were significantly higher among preschoolers compared to toddlers (p = 0.001), while preventive treatment was markedly higher among toddlers. In terms of the type of restorative materials, almost similar distribution was observed between the two age groups with 86.5% treated using composite restorations. Dental treatment under GA was more frequently used among preschoolers than in toddlers, with extractions and restoration with composite resin being the common treatment options. The findings can help decision-makers or relevant parties address the burden of ECC and enhance oral health promotion activities.

Retention Evaluation of Fissure Sealants Applied Using Self-Etch and Conventional Acid-Etch Techniques: A Randomized Control Trial Among Schoolchildren.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical retention capabilities of a self-etch adhesive system (experimental group) and conventional acid-etch (control group) techniques and compare the caries incidence within six months and 24 months of follow-up periods. Methods: A total of 47 healthy children with a mean age of 9.7 years and either sound or noncavitated erupted permanent first molars were included in the trial. A total of 188 molars were randomly assigned in a split-mouth design for the self-etch mode in the universal adhesive or conventional acid-etch. Differences in sealant retention and caries incidence were compared at six and 24 months after sealant placement using a chi-square test. Results: Within 24 months of follow-up, the retention of fissure sealant applied using conventional acid etching (41 out of 66; 62.1 percent) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the fissure sealant applied using self-etching mode in the universal adhesive system (17 out of 66; 25.8 percent). There was no significant difference in caries incidence between the two groups up to 24 months after sealant placement. Conclusion: With 24 months of follow-up, the retention of the conventional acid-etching technique were superior to those of the self-etch technique.

Dental procedures and operating time under day-care general anesthesia among medically compromised and uncooperative pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze dental procedures and operating time provided to medically compromised and uncooperative pediatric patients under general anesthesia (GA). METHOD AND MATERIALS: This cross-sectional retrospective study reviewed hospital records of pediatric patients treated under day-care GA at a Malaysian university hospital between January 2013 and December 2019. Dental procedures were categorized into preventive, restorative, pulp therapy, extraction, and surgical procedures. Age groups were categorized into < 6 years (primary), 6 to 12 years (mixed) and > 12 years old (permanent), to represent different dentitions. The treatment and operating times under GA were compared between age groups, sex, and medical conditions. RESULTS: A total of 595 patients (455 uncooperative healthy and 140 medically compromised) were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 5.7 years. Male patients (58.3%) outnumbered female patients (41.7%). The most frequently performed procedure was primary tooth extraction. A higher number of surgical procedures were performed on children aged > 12 years compared to younger age groups (P = .001). Children with medical problems had more preventive (mean 3.85 ± 3.65) than restorative treatments (mean 2.66 ± 2.80) and the results were reversed for healthy children. The mean operating time was 64.71 ± 27.89 minutes. Regardless of health status, children > 12 years old had longer operating times, and the mixed dentition group had the shortest treatment durations. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of dental treatment modalities are provided under GA for pediatric patients and operating time was associated with age group. Findings will be useful to improve efficiency of management of pediatric dental cases under day-care GA.

Effectiveness of the school-based oral health promotion programmes from preschool to high school: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Schools offer an opportunity for oral health promotion in children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the influence of school-based oral health promotion programmes on oral health knowledge (OHK), behaviours (OHB), attitude (OHA), status (OHS), and quality of life (OHRQoL) of children and adolescents. METHODS: A systematic search on the PubMed and Embase databases was conducted to identify eligible studies. The last search was done on April 24th, 2020. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal tools. RESULTS: Of the 997 articles identified, 31 articles were included in this review. Seven studies targeted students in preschools, seventeen in elementary schools, and seven in high schools. Most of these studies revealed positive outcomes. Some studies showed that the school-based oral health promotion programmes showed better OHK, OHB, OHS, and OHRQoL. CONCLUSION: Positive results were obtained through oral health promotion programmes in schools, especially those involving children, teachers, and parents.