Fear Factor in Seeking Dental Care among Saudis during COVID-19 Pandemic.

The recent coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to major lifestyle changes. The present study sought to assess factors associated with fear to seek dental care during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. An online questionnaire was filled by a convenient sample of adult Saudi residents through mobile instant messaging application. The following measures were collected: sociodemographic characteristics, fear of COVID-19 using validated Fears of Illness and Virus Evaluation scale, fear to seek dental care, perceived health status, and COVID-19 experience. There were 826 participants involved in this study (541 females and 285 males, mean age: 38.8 ± 13.29 years). Fear to seek dental care was significantly higher among females, younger age groups, people who perceived poor general and oral health, and people who perceived high risk of contracting the virus in dental clinics. After controlling for confounders, fear to seek dental care was significantly higher among the age group of 35-44 years, those who perceived high and moderate risk of COVID-19 infection in dental clinics, and among participants who reported untreated dental conditions. Fear that Others Get Sick, Fear of the Impact on Social Life, and Behaviors Related to Illness and Virus Fears were significantly associated with high levels of fear to seek dental care. Within the study's limitations, fear of COVID-19 negatively impacted the study population's willingness to seek dental treatment. Factors such as age, perceived risk of COVID-19 infection in dental clinics, and untreated dental conditions were associated with fear to seek dental care.

Psychometric Validation of the Arabic Fear of Illness and Virus Evaluation.

Global infectious pandemics can affect the psychology and behavior of human beings. Several tools were developed to evaluate the psychological impact of such outbreaks. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Arabic translated version of Fear of Illness and Virus Evaluation scale (FIVE). FIVE is a 35-item tool consisting of four subscales that measure Fears about Contamination and Illness, Fears about Social Distancing, Behaviors Related to Illness and Virus Fears and Impact of Illness and Virus Fears. The tool was translated into Arabic by using a forward-backward translation. The online questionnaire contained the following sections: demographics, FIVE, Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and face validity questions. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was used to recruit participants via a mobile instant messaging application. Reliability, concurrent validity, face validity and factor analysis were examined. The data consisted of 509 adult participants who reside in Saudi Arabia. The internal consistency of the Arabic FIVE subscales was high (0.84-0.91) with strong concurrent validity indicated by positive correlations of FIVE subscales with FCV-19S. Factor analysis suggested slightly different factor structures (Fears of Getting Sick, Fears that Others Get Sick, Fears of the Impact on Social Life and Behaviors Related to Illness and Virus Fears). Our data showed a better fit using the proposed structures. The Arabic version of the FIVE showed robust validity and reliability qualities to assess fear of COVID-19 on Arabic adult population.

Ethnicity is a major determinant of the pattern of dermatological diseases among pilgrims during the Hajj in 2019.

The authors aim to explore the pattern and demographics of dermatological disorders occurring during Hajj 2019. Clinical records from three major public healthcare facilities in Al-Madinah Al-Munawara were retrieved for the period July-August, 2019. Collected data included age, gender, nationality, and dermatological complaints. 550 records were retrieved. Patients were 282 (51.3%) males and 268 (48.7%) females with a mean age of 58.3±12.6 years. Most patients were Asians (n=320, 58.2%), and Africans (n=183, 33.3%). Accidents (n=226, 41.1%), and infections (148, 26.9%) were the most common complaints. Asians and Africans had significantly: more accidents and less infections (P=0.002, P=0.027 respectively). They were the only category affected by exacerbations of auto immune diseases. Asian and African pilgrims are mainly affected by traumatic dermatologic conditions. Preventive awareness programs should target these ethnicities to reduce their higher rates of accidents. Other ethnicities need programs that promote hygienic practices and target infections.

Prevalence of Impacted Teeth in Saudi Patients Attending Dental Clinics in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: A Radiographic Retrospective Study.

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of impacted teeth in Saudi patients and compare between male and female subjects. METHOD: This cross-sectional study comprised of Saudi patients who attended dental clinics in major hospitals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Patients' dental records and panoramic radiographs were reviewed retrospectively. Impacted teeth excluding third molars and spaces occupied by primary, permanent, and transmigrated teeth were recorded from panoramic radiographs. The Pearson chi-squared test was performed to determine gender differences regarding impacted teeth and spaces occupied by other teeth. RESULTS: The study included radiographs of 539 patients with a mean age of 23.3 ± 10.8 years. Seventy-one patients (13.2%) had at least one impacted tooth. The total number of impacted teeth was 115 in the sample, out of which 91 (79.1%) were in the upper arch and 24 (20.8%) in the lower arch. Fifty-eight maxillary canines (50.4%) were impacted making them the most commonly impacted teeth, followed by 21 upper second premolars (18.2%) and 14 lower second premolars (12.2%). More females (70.7%) than males (29.3%) had impacted teeth (P=0.82). Of 61 spaces occupied, 35 (57.4%) were occupied by permanent teeth, 24 (39.3%) by primary teeth, and 2 (3.3%) by transmigrated teeth. Greater proportions of spaces were occupied in female than male participants (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of impacted teeth in Saudi patients. The canines were the most commonly impacted teeth followed by the second premolars. Females demonstrated a higher occurrence of impacted teeth than males. Early detection of impacted teeth can help prevent malocclusion and maintain a healthy dentition.

The prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth and its impact on malocclusion in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth and its effect on malocclusion in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an observational, cross-sectional study that included 307 male children aged 9-11 years old. Clinical examinations were performed using a disposable sharp explorer, a UNC periodontal probe and a dental mirror. The samples were examined clinically to detect the following traits: Angle's classification of malocclusion, overjet, overbite, anterior open-bite, lateral open-bite, midline shift and cross-bite. Additionally, a dental caries examination was performed using WHO methods. Questionnaires in Arabic were coded and sent to the students' parents. RESULTS: The mean DMFT was 5.61 (SD = 3.01). The d-component was the highest, with a mean of 4 (SD = 2.83). Of the 307 children, it was found that 204 (66.4%) had a high DMFT score, which is defined as a score above 4. It was found that 156/307 (51%) children had premature loss of deciduous teeth. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of premature loss of teeth was found in this study. This finding emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness levels about this issue and focuses attention on the need for more preventive efforts to maintain healthy and normal dentitions that would improve the masticatory function and aesthetics of individuals and the whole population. In addition, the findings emphasize the importance of the early detection of premature loss of primary teeth to prevent future malocclusion.