The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Pattern and Presentation of Traumatic Dental Injuries in Children in a Tertiary Health Institution.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic brought adaptive changes in lifestyle with possible impact on the incidence of traumatic dental injuries. Objective: This study compared the presentation and pattern of traumatic dental injuries in children during the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 pandemic periods. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study done using clinical records of children aged 16 years and below who presented at the paediatric dental clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Information such as demographics, aetiology, type of injuries, and dentition type were elicited from the 1284 clinical records from March 2019 to February 2021. Data were analysed and the level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Result: One hundred (7.8%) patients presented with traumatic dental injuries (TDIs; 71 [8.5%] and 29 [6.5%] pre-pandemic [March 2019 to February 2020] and pandemic periods [March 2020 to February 2021], respectively) and their mean age was 7.0 (±4.2) years. The male-to-female ratio before and during the pandemic periods was 1.54:1 and 1.42:1, respectively. The commonest aetiology and type of TDI were falls 82 (82%) and injuries to tooth-supporting structures 45 (45%), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in sex (P = 0.86), aetiology (P = 0.31), type of TDI (P = 0.16), and dentition affected (P = 0.97) between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods but the difference in the age groups was significant (P = 0.02). Conclusion: The incidence of TDIs was higher in the pre-pandemic period. The younger age group had more dental injuries than the older ones at both periods. This may be due to difficulty in enforcing restrictions on young children even during COVID-19 restrictions.

Differences in Oral Lesions Associated with Tobacco Smoking, E-Cigarette Use and COVID-19 Infection among Adolescents and Young People in Nigeria.

COVID-19 infection is associated with oral lesions which may be exacerbated by tobacco smoking or e-cigarette use. This study assessed the oral lesions associated with the use of e-cigarettes, tobacco smoking, and COVID-19 among adolescents and young people in Nigeria. A national survey recruited 11-23-year-old participants from the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Data were collected using Survey Monkey®. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted. Statistical significance was set at p-value less than 0.05. There were 2870 participants, of which 386 (13.4%) were tobacco smokers, 167 (5.8%) e-cigarette users, and 401 (14.0%) were both e-cigarette and tobacco users; and 344 (12.0%) had ever tested positive to COVID-19. Adolescents and young people who smoked tobacco had more than twice the odds of reporting gingival inflammation, oral ulcers, dry mouth, and changes in taste than those who did not smoke. Those who used e-cigarettes had 1.5 times higher odds of reporting oral lesions. Respondents who had COVID-19 infection had higher odds of reporting gingival inflammation and lower odds of reporting dry mouth than those who did not have COVID-19 infection. These findings were significant, and may help clinicians to screen for tobacco use and COVID-19 among adolescents and young people in Nigeria.

Oral hygiene status, malocclusion and dental trauma among institutionalized visually impaired and sighted adolescents in Lagos State, Nigeria.

AIM: To compare prevalence of oral hygiene status, dental trauma and malocclusion among institutionalized visually impaired (VI) and non-visually impaired (NVI) adolescents in Lagos State, Nigeria. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross sectional study conducted among institutionalized VI and NVI adolescents in Lagos State, Nigeria. One hundred and thirty-two randomly selected VI adolescents aged between 9 and 23 years and 138 NVI participants aged between 9 and 17 years were recruited using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Oral examination assessed oral hygiene status, dental trauma and malocclusion. Data entry and analysis was by SPSS version 20. Associations were analyzed using chi-square test. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. Male to female ratio among the VI and NVI participants, were 1.5:1 and 1:3, mean ages were 15.03 ± 3.36 and 12.96 years ± 1.89 SD, prevalence of dental injury were 16.67% and 7.2% and malocclusion were 15.2% and 11.6% respectively. More of the NVI participants had good oral hygiene status (29.0%). CONCLUSION: Uncomplicated dental injury was more prevalent among the VI male participants than their NVI counterparts while malocclusion was significantly less among the NVI participants. There is an urgent need for the development of policy and protocol on oral health of persons with special needs.

Comparison of Dental Caries and Oral Hygiene Status of Children in Suburban with those in Rural Population of Southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status and associated risk factors of children in suburban and rural communities in the Southwest region of Nigeria. Material and Methods: Secondary data was extracted from cross-sectional researches conducted in two study locations involving 8 to 12 year olds. Data retrieved included age, gender, family structure, socioeconomic status, oral hygiene and dental caries. Caries assessment was done using WHO Oral Health Survey methods. Oral hygiene data was collected using Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) by Greene and Vermillion. Statistical significance was established at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of dental caries in Group A and Group B study participants were 13.4% and 22.2% respectively. Children from rural community had significant higher caries prevalence (p=0.00) and poorer oral hygiene (P=0.00) compare with their counterparts in the suburban community. There was a significant association between oral hygiene, age and dental caries in suburban participants (p=0.02) while among the rural participants there was significant association between gender and dental caries (p=0.04). Children with poor oral hygiene have increased odds of having dental caries compared to children with good oral hygiene in the two study communities. Conclusion: Dental caries was more prevalent among the rural dwellers than the sub-urban dwellers. There is a need to make oral health care services/products available, accessible and affordable for the rural community.

Use of the Hall technique by specialist paediatric dentists: a global perspective.

Background The Hall technique (HT) is popular with UK paediatric dentists (PDs). Global PDs perception/use of HT is unknown.Aim To investigate global PDs opinions/use of HT.Materials and methods A cross-sectional questionnaire of 26 questions was sent to specialist PDs across the globe.Results Responses of 709 PDs from six continents were obtained. The majority (n = 654, 92.32%) had heard about HT but only 50.6% (n = 358) used it, with wide country variations. Respectively, 37.5%, 31.5% and 31% were neutral, against or supportive of HT when they initially heard about it. Only 17% of HT users said it was always the treatment of choice for non-pulpal asymptomatic carious primary molars (NPACPMs), 62% would take a pre-operative radiograph, 65% would consider using high speed drills before HT, 63% would never consider HT under general anaesthesia, 56% would use HT under N2O sedation. Finally, in a clinical scenario of a NPACPM in a cooperative 6-year-old, 75% of PDs would choose conventional restorative methods over the HT.Conclusion The HT is recognised, but not used, by an outright majority of PDs across the globe. Identifiable barriers such as lack of training, perception as substandard dentistry and perceived lack of evidence reduced its use.