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Objective: To assess the use of self medication in oral health problems in Cameroon. Methods: This multi-regional cross-sectional survey was conducted in three towns; Bamenda, Yaounde and Buea over a 10 month period. The questionnaire elicited information on demography, oral problem for self medication, substance used for self medication, source of the substance, duration of self medication, reason for self medication, source of advice of the drugs or those products used, opinion about the substance, effect and duration. Results: The prevalence of self medication for oral health problems was 67.8% which was significantly associated with age, marital status and location. The most frequently self medicated oral health problem was toothache (54.7%). The majority (64.5%) of the respondents used pharmaceutical products while a minority (7.7%) used dangerous substances such as petrol and vinegar for self medication. Sources of substances of self medication included pharmacy (55.6%), road side vendors (26.1%), native healers (7.8%), mobile drug vendors in buses (5.3%), and others (5.3%). The choice of substances used for self medication was mostly guided by the advice from relatives. Conclusion: The majority of the respondents self-medicated for oral health problems. Unmarried, urban residents, aged 21–30 years reported significantly increased self-medication for oral health problems. Evidently dangerous substances were utilised for self-medication in this study, necessitating awareness and other forms of intervention.

Objectives: To assess awareness and prevalences of occupational health problems among oral health care workers in Edo State, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among oral health care workers working in two tiers of health care delivery in secondary and tertiary government-owned dental centres across Edo State from December 2008 to February 2009. A self-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information on demographic characteristics, awareness and prevalences of occupational problems, and preventive measures. Results: The response rate was 93.8%. Overall, 71.1% of respondents were dentists; other respondent groups included dental nurses and dental surgery assistants (16.7%), dental technologists (8.9%) and dental therapists (3.3%). The occupational health problem for which respondents reported the highest level of awareness was biological hazards (96.7%). The most commonly prevalent occupational health problems were musculoskeletal problems [wrist pain (66.7%), waist pain (76.7%), body pain or weakness (84.4%)]. Infection by biological hazards was reported by 6.6% of respondents, and included infection by HIV/AIDS (2.2%), hepatitis B (1.1%), tuberculosis (1.1%) and other infections (2.2%). Chemical hazards in the form of skin reactions to latex gloves (17.8%), camphorated p-monochlorophenol (CMCP, 8.9%), X-ray (7.8%) and other allergies (5.5%) were reported. A few respondents (2.2%) reported occupation-related malignancies. Overall, 52.2% of respondents possessed a health insurance policy, and 93.3% and 88.9% worked in environments they described as well ventilated and well lit, respectively. A quarter (25.6%) of respondents used a film-holder when taking intra-oral radiographs and 23.3% used protective ear plugs when working in close proximity to noisy machines. Conclusions: Occupational health issues were significant among oral health care workers in Edo State. Awareness of biological hazards was very high. However, musculoskeletal issues represented the predominant occupational problem, and their potential negative impact necessitates urgent educational and ergonomic intervention.

Objective: To determine the periodontal characteristics of diabetic patients with tooth mobility attending the Periodontology Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted among diabetic patients with tooth mobility in the Periodontology Clinic in UBTH, Benin City, Nigeria. The indices recorded for the participants were gingival index, community periodontal index of treatment need, and Miller'sindex for tooth mobility. Results: A total of 54 participants who met the inclusion criteria were approached, but only 49 of them consented and participated in this study giving a 90.7% recruitment rate. The age range and mean age of the participants were 42–84 years and 63.84 ± 1.31 years, respectively. The self-reported age of diagnosis was between 41 and 70 years with a mean age of 56.22 ± 6.88 years. About two-thirds (67.3%) of the participants were males. Less than half (38.8%) of patients were visiting the dentist for the first time. Mandibular arch housed about two-thirds (64.9%) of the mobile teeth and mandibular left quadrant housed about one-third of (34.5%) the mobile teeth. Central incisor (42.3%) constituted the most mobile teeth followed by the first molar (28.9%). A total of 17.0% of the mobile teeth were Miller's Grade 3 mobility. More than one-third (28.5%) (code 3 = 26.5%, code 4 = 2.0%) of the participants had periodontal pockets. More than half (52.7%) of participants had probing pocket depth of 5 mm and above. The gingival score which had mean as 1.60 ± 0.08 was significantly associated with age of the participants. The mean probing depth was 4.86 ± 0.21 mm. The probing depth was significant with age and duration of diabetes mellitus (DM) of the participants. Conclusion: Data from this study revealed that age of diagnosis of diabetes with tooth mobility was higher than previously reported. The most mobile teeth and earliest teeth to become mobile were the mandibular incisors, and Grade 1 severity constituted the majority. DM with tooth mobility exhibited gingival score and probing depth that had a variable significant association with demographic characteristics.

Introduction: There is dearth of information on the impact of oral health information on knowledge and belief of oral health among pregnant women. The objective of the study was to determine the impact of oral health information on oral health knowledge and belief among Nigerian pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic (ANC) of a large university teaching hospital in Benin City, Nigeria, using interviewer-administered questionnaire as data collection tool. Descriptive and regression statistics were performed on data collected using SPSS version 17.0. P

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection rate and mortality among Nigerian health care workers appear to be on the increase. Aside from health workers, it has caused millions of infections and deaths worldwide. This study determined the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices of nursing and midwifery students towards COVID-19 in a North-Eastern Nigerian state.Methods: A total of 156 respondents were involved in this institutional-based cross-sectional study, conducted after the lockdown period. A total of 17 questions were used to assess the KAP with knowledge appraised with 12 questions, attitudes with 2 questions, and practices with 3 questions.Results: The majority of the students (53.80%) possessed a good level of knowledge regarding COVID-19, while 40.4% had fair knowledge regarding COVID-19 with only 5.80% having poor knowledge of COVID-19. The mean knowledge of COVID-19 in this study was 9.40±1.353 with an overall 78% correct answer rate. A vast majority of the respondent (82.7% and 98.1%) had strong confidence in Nigeria and believed that the pandemic will soon be over, respectively. Only a few avoided large gatherings of people (30.8%) with the vast majority reporting to have worn a mask when going out (84.6%) and washing their hands with running water and soap frequently as recommended (73.1%). In multiple logistic regression analyses, the COVID-19 knowledge score (OR: 0.39-0.40, 95%CI: 0.26 – 0.62, P

Objective: Periodontal diseases are treated using nonsurgical treatment methods and surgical treatment methods. There is a paucity of information on surgical periodontal treatment in Nigerian periodontal healthcare settings. The objective of the study was to determine the indications and pattern of surgical periodontal treatment in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This retrospective review of patients that had surgical periodontal treatment at University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, over a 37 month period (January 2013–2016) was done using a self developed proforma as the data collection tool. A total of 52 patients out of the 5111 patients treated within the period had surgical periodontal treatment and were subsequently analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The patients aged between 16 and 81 years with a mean age of 44.15 ± 18.99 years and a median age of 45 years had surgical periodontal treatments. The majority of the patients were older adults (57.7%) (middle-age adults [34.6%] and elderly [23.1%]) and females (75.0%). The indications for the surgical periodontal treatment were mainly periodontal abscess and gingival enlargement. The gingival enlargement was majorly pyogenic granuloma in 41.2% (7/17) and fibrous epulis in 23.5% (4/17). Incision and drainage and gingivectomy constituted the main surgical periodontal treatments among the patients in this study. Age and gender were found to be significantly associated with the indications for surgical periodontal treatment and the pattern of surgical periodontal treatment among the patients. Conclusion: Periodontal abscess and gingival enlargement constituted the main indications for surgical periodontal treatment while incision and drainage and gingivectomy were the main surgical periodontal treatments in this study.

Background: The objective was to examine the oral hygiene, gingival, and periodontal status among smokers and to relate them with nicotine dependence. Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out among smokers and nonsmokers in Benin-City, Edo State. Data collection was done through questionnaire and oral examination. The indices applied were Fagerstrom test, Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), Gingival Index (GI), Community Periodontal Index, and tooth mobility index. Results: A total of 40 (20 smokers and 20 nonsmokers) persons participated in the study. The mean OHI-S for smokers was 2.87 ± 0.92 while that of nonsmoker was 2.20 ± 0.73 and this was statistically significant (P = 0.015). The mean GI for smokers was 1.04 ± 0.36 while that of nonsmoker was 0.80 ± 0.22 and this was statistically significant (P = 0.018). The mean number of mobile teeth for smokers was 0.15 ± 0.49 while that of nonsmoker was. 00 ± 0.00 and this was not statistically significant (P = 0.178). One-quarter (25%) of smokers had score 3 and 4 while only 5% of nonsmokers had were found Shallow and deep pockets were found score 3 and 4. About half (45.0%) of the smokers had low-moderate nicotine dependency among the smokers revealed that. Participants with higher nicotine dependence had nonsignificantly poorer oral hygiene, gingival, and periodontal status than their counterparts. Conclusion: Smokers generally had poorer oral hygiene, gingival, and periodontal status as compared to the nonsmokers. Smokers with higher nicotine dependence did not have poorer oral hygiene, gingival, and periodontal status than their counterparts.

Objective: To determine dental caries, missing teeth, and oral health behavior among smokers and to correlate same with nicotine dependence. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out among smokers and age-matched nonsmokers in Benin-City, Edo State Nigeria. Nicotine dependence, periodontal knowledge, subjectively rated periodontal status, and oral self-care were assessed with questionnaire while carious, missing, and filled teeth were recorded during oral examination. Results: The mean periodontal health knowledge was 1.65 for smokers and 2.75 for nonsmokers. The mean subjectively rated periodontal status was 4.25 for smokers and 3.40 for nonsmokers. The mean oral health behavior was 9.05 for smokers and 10.50 for nonsmokers. The mean carious teeth was 2.10 for smokers and was 1.00 for nonsmokers. Nicotine addiction was negative correlated with periodontal knowledge, oral behavior, carious teeth, filled teeth, and abrasion teeth but positively correlated with subjectively rated periodontal status and missing teeth. Conclusion: Smokers had lower periodontal knowledge, poorer subjectively rated periodontal health, poorer oral self-care behavior and more carious teeth than nonsmokers. Further studies to include smokers with high nicotine dependence are recommended.

Introduction: Halitosis is a prevalent oral condition that frequently causes personal and social embarrassment with consequent interactional difficulties. The objective of this study was to assess the relational impact of halitosis.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduates of University of Benin, Nigeria. Demographic characteristics, perception of value of fresh breath in social contact, rank of halitosis in first impression impairment, frequency of encounter with halitosis sufferers and their interactional difficulties, and readiness to inform sufferers about the condition were assessed using self-administered validated questionnaire.Results: About three-quarters(77.3%) of the respondents agreed [slightly agree(11.3%) and agree(66.0%)] that fresh breath is an important factor in social contacts. This was significantly associated with gender. Halitosis was ranked as second after body odour among factor that turn respondents off when meeting individuals for the first time. A total of 14.0% of the respondents always anticipated the possibility of halitosis on first contact with individual(s). The majority of the respondents believed that halitosis sufferers experience difficulty in getting good jobs, getting married and suffer marital disharmony. Readiness to inform halitosis sufferers about their condition was high. The level and mode of informing the halitosis sufferers about the condition varied with the intimacy of the relationship.Conclusion: Fresh breath was highly considered as an important factor in social contacts. The high level of encounter with halitosis sufferers and high readiness of disclosure of condition to sufferers were noted. Difficulty in getting good jobs, getting married and marital disharmony experiences were the perceived interactional difficulty.Keywords: halitosis, prevalence, interaction, relationship, odour

Manpower training and development is essential to the improvement of health including oral health. The purpose of this study was to conduct a situation analysis, document trends, and make future projections for the oral health workforce in Cameroon. Data were collected from publications of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, National Order of Dental Surgeons of Cameroon, the Cameroon Dental Association and the Association of Cameroon Nurses, Midwives, and Health Technicians. Test for significance was done with Chisquare and Fisher's exact statistics and statistical significance was set at P

This review aims to determine the prevalence and severity of oral health diseases in the Africa and Middle East region (AMER). The profile of oral diseases is not homogeneous across the AMER. There are large disparities between groups. Reliable data are scarce. The prevalence and severity of oral diseases appear to be increasing in the African region, as does associated morbidity. There are substantial differences in inequalities in oral health. Dental caries prevalence is less severe in most African countries than in developed countries, but the high rate of untreated caries reflects the limited resources available and difficulties of access and affordability to essential oral health care services. The prevalence of gingival inflammation is very high in all age groups in several African countries. The prevalence of maxillofacial trauma has increased in many countries, with a wide variation of the incidence and high prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in primary and permanent teeth. Orofacial clefts are among the most common birth defects. Annual incidence of oral cancer is estimated as 25 cases per 100,000 people in Africa. Noma is a major public health problem for the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. Data about human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS are limited, particularly in the MENA region. According to the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Africa report, some fundamental key basic knowledge gaps need to be underlined. They include inequalities in oral health, low priority for oral health, lack of adequate funding, inadequate dental student training, obstacles to medical and dental research, and poor databases. There are very few effective public prevention and oral health promotion programs in the AMER. Universal health coverage is not achievable without scientific research on the effectiveness of health promotion interventions.

The roles of bacteria in the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease are well-understand, but that of the virus found in the periodontal environment are poorly understood. The aim of this literature review was to report the roles of viruses in periodontal diseases. The roles of viruses in periodontal diseases were categorized into the role in disease etiology, role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases, role in diseases progression and role in response to treatment. Clearer understanding of roles of viruses in periodontal diseases will facilitate the provision of effective periodontal disease prevention and treatment.

Background: Dental appearance satisfaction is important among young adults because judgment concerning the personal characteristics of individuals is influenced by their dental appearance in the absence of other information. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the self‑evaluated dental appearance satisfaction among young adults. Subjects and Methods: This cross‑sectional survey of financial industry prone undergraduates of University of Benin was conducted between July and September, 2010. The self‑administered questionnaire which assessed information on demographic characteristics, smoking habit, alcohol use, previous dental visit, dental appearance satisfaction, tooth shape, size, arrangement and strength was the tool of data collection. The data was subjected to descriptive, Chi‑square and regression statistics using statistical package for the social sciences version 17.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). (P < 0.05) was considered to be significant. Results: A total of 399 undergraduates which are made up of 179 (44.9%) males and 220 (55.1%) females with mean age of 24.66 (4.20) years participated in this study. Self‑evaluated dental appearance satisfaction was expressed by 79.4% (317/399) of the participants. The significant predictors of self‑evaluated dental appearance satisfaction were skin color (P = 0.03, odds ratio [OR] =2.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.09‑6.09) and perceived tooth strength (P = 0.02, OR = 5.83, 95% CI = 1.40‑24.28) among males and alcohol consumption (P = 0.04, OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.21‑0.95] and perceived size of tooth (P = 0.02, OR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.15‑4.89) among females. The significant predictors of self‑evaluated dental appearance satisfaction among the participants were ethnicity (P = 0.04, OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32‑0.96), skin color (P = 0.04, OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.03‑2.93), perceived tooth size (P = 0.03, OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.07‑3.09) and strength (P = 0.01, OR = 3.42, 95% CI = 1.58‑7.41). Conclusion: Ethnicity, tooth arrangement, size and strength need to be given detailed consideration in tooth replacement as they emerged as the significant predictors of self‑evaluated dental appearance satisfaction among young adults.

Oral health constitutes an important part of general health. Caries and periodontal disease are the most common dental diseases globally. In Africa, the challenges of cancrum oris, acute necrotizing gingivitis, oral cancer, oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS, and maxillofacial trauma are also common especially among the low-socioeconomic communities. Gender is one variable that contributes to oral health status globally. Other variables include race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, attitude to dentistry, level of education, and cultural values. There is an interplay between these variables and they can increase or diminish the effect gender has on oral health. Gender-based health inequities are apparent in early childhood and even in adulthood. Many families provide better nutrition for boys in the interest of maximizing future productivity given that boys are generally seen as breadwinners. The unfortunate practice of son preference, which occurs worldwide in different levels of severity, often leads young girls being neglected and therefore more likely to develop poor oral health, which is then left untreated. Good oral health has been associated with positive oral health beliefs and stability of beliefs. Women tend to have better and more stable oral health beliefs. This may contribute largely to why women have better oral health in modern society. Gender influence on oral health status is appreciable especially in an economically challenged region of Africa. For optimum oral health, efforts should be geared toward appropriate health care reforms, education of female children, elimination of gender discrimination, and implementation of oral health policies.

AZODO suture is a simple, easy, success-oriented periodontal pocket reduction and gingival papilla reconstruction procedure. It starts with obtaining informed consent for the procedure followed by scaling, root planing, and curettage of the diseased pocket and then by an interrupted suture with polyglycolic resorbable suture. When the pockets on two adjacent teeth exist, a modification (MODIFIED AZODO suture) in the form of horizontal mattress suturing technique is used. The hypothesized mechanism of action is that the suturing of the gingiva apposes the facial and lingual side of the interdental gingiva with the tissues filling the interdental space-generating pressure that facilitates the apposition of the gingiva on the distal/mesial surfaces of the tooth with pocket. The consequent tissue modeling facilitates a proper interdental papilla. This prevents food impaction, ensures cleanliness, facilitates healing, and restores the interdental health.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the social trait rating of halitosis sufferers by others who are Nigerian undergraduates. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted among main (Ugbowo) campus residential undergraduates of University of Benin, Nigeria. The questionnaire that assessed health status, quality of life, intelligence, caring, trustworthiness, attractiveness, sexiness, aggressiveness, happiness, pleasantry, motivation, spirituality, satisfaction with life, and social life activity of halitosis sufferers was the data collection tool. Results: A total of 245 individuals aged between 17 and 35 years comprising 100 males and 145 females were studied. The worst affected traits were attractiveness and sexiness followed by pleasantry, motivation, satisfaction with life, social life activity, and happiness. The least affected traits were intelligent and trustworthiness. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the low rating of halitosis sufferers on pleasantry, motivation, satisfaction with life, and happiness made them less attractive and sexy and cumulated in diminished social life.

Background : Perceived oral malodour is a common reason for dental consultation implying that vigilant assessment of oral malodour in dentistry will facilitate effective treatment. Aim : To determine the prevalence and factors associated with self-perceived oral malodour among periodontal patients. Methods : A cross-section of 490 consenting patients attending the Periodontology Clinic of a tertiary healthcare facility in Nigeria between February and June, 2012 were studied. Data analyses in the form of descriptive statistics, chi-square statistics and logistic regression weredone and p Results : Selfperceived oral malodour was reported by 84 of the 490 studied participants giving a prevalence of 17.1%. Self-perceived oral malodour was significantly associated with gender (p=0.004), daily tooth brushing frequency (p=0.018) and gingival health perception (p=0.013), perceived worsening of oral despite daily tooth brushing (p=0.001), and belief that artificial teeth are inevitable in old age (p=0.001). Self-perceived oral malodour was significantly higher among participants reported having gingival bleeding on tooth brushing, food packing and tooth mobility, worried about malodour and colour of gingiva and teeth. The determinants of self-perceived oral malodour from logistic regression analysis were gingival bleeding on tooth brushing, worry about oral malodour and belief that artificial teeth are inevitable in old age. Conclusion : Data from this study revealed that one out of every six studied periodontal patients had self-perceived oral malodour with the determinants as gingival bleeding on tooth brushing, worry about oral malodour and belief that artificial teeth are inevitable in old age. Key words : Oral malodour, perception, periodontal disease, oral health

Objectives: To determine the oral hygiene status and practices among rural dwellers in Delta and Edo States of Nigeria. Materials and Methods: One-hundred and fifty-four participants (45 males and 109 females) between the ages of 5 and 88 years with mean age of 33.44±2.34 years selected among individuals attending Children Evangelism Ministry Free Medical Outreach in five rural communities in both Delta and Edo State of Nigeria were studied. Data were collected through clinical examinations and the use of interviewer-administered questionnaires. Results: Of the 154 participants studied, 22.1% participants had one or more carious teeth, 11.7% participants had at least one missing tooth and 0.6% participants had fillings. Toothache (33.1%) and gingival bleeding (27.3%) were reported oral health problems among the participants. One third (33.8%) of the participants had poor oral hygiene status. Oral hygiene status was significantly associated with age, gender, and educational status, but there was no significant variation among the various communities. Majority of the participants cleaned their teeth with toothbrush and toothpaste-133 (86.4%), indulged in once-daily tooth cleaning-115 (74.7%), and have never visited the dentist-145 (94.2%). There existed significant association between daily tooth cleaning frequency, age, gender, location and level of education. Conclusion: The oral hygiene and oral health practices among rural dwellers were suboptimal. There is need to develop and implement community-oriented oral health promotion programs targeting oral health practices to control preventable oral diseases among rural dweller.

Background : Assessment of oral condition, oral care, and informing the attending doctor of unusual oral findings for possible consultation or referral to a dentist are the advocated roles of hospital nurses. The objective of the study was thus to assess the roles of Nigerian nurses in the assessment of oral conditions of hospitalized patients. Methods : This questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of all nurses caring for hospitalized patients in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital was conducted in the first half of 2010. Results : Of the 384 studied participants, 94.3% considered oral care as an important aspect of nursing care and 73.4% had oral health component in their nursing school curriculum. A total of 80.7% reported suspicious and abnormal findings in hospitalized patients to the attending doctor. Amongst the respondents, 38.0% reported ability to conduct good oral tissue examination. Only 28.1% demonstrated good knowledge of common oral diseases. Three-quarters (73.4%) thought that it is compulsory for nurses to assess the oral condition of hospitalized patients. The 67.7% and 21.9% of the respondents did the assessment on admission and discharge respectively. The majority (90.1%) desired training on oral care of hospitalized patients. Conclusion : There is a need to improve the skill and competence of nurses in the assessment of oral condition to make them a substantive partner in the oral care of hospitalized patients. Keywords : hospitalized patients, nurses, oral condition, roles

Objective: To determine the pattern of self-medication among dental, midwifery and nursing students and to evaluate the factors associated with self-medication. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional of dental, nursing and midwifery students undergoing clinical training in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria was conducted in 2010. The elicited data include demography, use of drug without doctor′s prescription, type of drug used (pain relievers, antibiotics, anti-malarial, cough medication and nutritional supplement), reasons for self-medication, factors that influenced the choice of drug and source of drug. Results: A total of 76.8% of the respondents indulged in self-medication practices. Of which, 33.0% used the medication inappropriately. The type of self-medication use was, pain relievers (60.5%), antibiotics (43.2%), anti-malarial (40.5%), cough medication (16.7%) and nutritional supplement (16.0%). Previous experience with the illness and perceived minor nature of the illness were the predominant reasons for the self-medication practices among the respondents. The major factors that influenced their choice of medication were previous experience with similar symptoms (39.7%), advice of non-doctor health professional (33.5%). Pharmacy shop was the main source of the self-medicated drugs. Conclusion: Self-medication was a common practice among this studied group of health workers. The level of inappropriate drug use denotes self-medication as an unhealthy option, and it therefore, should be discouraged.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and reasons for chewing stick use among adult Muslim′s inhabitants of Banyo in the Adamawa region of Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study aimed at determining the prevalence and reasons for chewing stick use among Muslims was conducted between November 2010 and April 2011. Results: Of the 220 participants in this study, 187 (85.0%) of them reported chewing stick use for teeth cleaning, and this was higher among males than females. Chewing stick use increased with ageing and varied among participants of different professions. Chewing stick users accented that the chewing stick use has a relationship with religion, and believed that chewing stick has a positive effect in the mouth than the non-users. Chewing stick users were less likely to have visited the dentist and experienced mouth odor but more likely to report oral health problems than non-users. The majority of the participants used chewing stick alone while a few used chewing stick with salt, charcoal and toothpaste The reasons for chewing stick use were religious advice, treatment of oral diseases, imitation of others and pleasure. Conclusion: Chewing stick use was common among participants with religious advice being the most dominant reason for the usage. Chewing stick users were less likely to visit the dentist, experience mouth odor but are more likely to report oral health problem than the non-users. This study information will serve as a useful guide in community oral health interventional development programme among Muslims.

Background: Pregnant women seek preventive, interventional and rehabilitative oral health-care for their oral health and protection of their fetus and babies after delivery. The objective of the study was to determine the Nigerian Dentist's knowledge, attitude and belief pertaining to the oral health-care of pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional of Nigerian dentist was conducted between June and December, 2011 using Huebner et al., modified dentist's attitude to the pregnant women questionnaire Results: The overall response rate of 92.5% (149/160). Receipt of continuing medical education (CME) was reported among the participants on periodontal disease of pregnant patients (22.1%), oral hygiene of pregnant patients (20.1%), early childhood caries (35.6%) and general dental problem (51.0%). The majority (92.6%) agreed that Dentists have the skill to counsel pregnant patients, But only 73.8% of them provided oral hygiene instruction frequently to pregnant patients and even fewer (6.0%) were involved in educational advice on oral health for young women. Many of the participants agreed that counseling pregnant patients about periodontal disease and its effect on the developing baby is of utmost importance. Participants also dominantly agreed that dental treatment should be part of prenatal care and 97.3% of them opined that physician recommendation will increase the likelihood of pregnant seeking dental care. More than half (56.4%) of the participants reported that Dentists should be concerned about being sued if something goes wrong with the pregnancy. The recommended ways to improve oral health-care of pregnant women among the participants were through CME (92.6%), provision of educational materials on oral health-care of pregnant women (93.3%) and information on ways to counsel pregnant women (98.0%). Conclusion: Data from this study revealed high preparedness, positive attitude and favorable disposition in dental care provision for pregnant women among the studied Nigerian Dentists.

Background: Dentofacial injuries constitute serious problems among competitive and recreational athletes, worldwide. Objective: To determine the prevalence of dentofacial injuries and related factors among individuals participating in contact sports in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study among individuals participating in karate, judo, basketball, handball, football and wrestling in Yaoundé, Cameroon was conducted between January and April, 2012. Results: Of the 240 athletes interviewed, 115 and 89 of them reported bodily and dentofacial injuries giving 47.9% and 37.1% prevalence, respectively. The bodily injuries were limbs-(60.0%), chest-(23.5%), abdomen-(11.3%) and neck- (5.2%). Mouth and face accounted for 52.8% and 37.1% of the dentofacial injuries, respectively. Other dentofacial injuries were teeth-(6.7%) and mandible-(3.4%). Older athletes and years of participation were more likely to experience dentofacial injuries. Karate was the most common cause of dentofacial injuries followed by wrestling. The prevalence of the dentofacial injuries was similar among both genders and was equally prevalent during training and competition. The personal protective equipment use reduced the likelihood of dentofacial injuries among the athletes. Conclusion: The prevalence of dentofacial injuries were high while the personal protective equipment use was low among the individuals participating in contact sports in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The objective of this study was to assess the gender differences in the characteristics of dental professionals in Edo State, Nigeria, their occupational exposure to percutaneous injuries, and their infection control practices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among dental professionals working in two tiers of healthcare delivery across Edo State, from December 2008-February 2009. A self-administered questionnaire elicited information on demography, and prevalence of percutaneous injuries and infection control practices, such as hand hygiene, glove use, eye protection, protective clothing, and hepatitis B vaccination. A total of 90 questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 93.8%. There was signifcant gender difference in the age (p-value = 0.008) and profession of the respondents (p-value = 0.001), with more male dental surgeons (65.6%), and more female dental auxiliaries (73.1%). There was a gender difference in percutaneous occupational exposure (p-value = 0.602) and hepatitis B va...

Objective: To determine the self-reported prevalence of removable partial denture use among a selected group of Nigerian undergraduates. Materials and Methods: Four hundred non-dental undergraduates of University of Benin recruited over four week′s period were studied. Results: The prevalence of removable partial denture use among the respondents was 1.8%. Denture use was more among those aged 17-25 years, females and right handed individuals. Removable partial denture users were less likely to have received professional instruction on tooth brushing and brush their teeth more than once-daily than non-denture users. Removable partial denture users were more likely to be cigarette smokers, regular soft drink consumer and report perceived efficacy in oral self-care and prevention of gingivodental diseases than non-denture users. Removable partial denture users were also more likely to have opened bottled drink with their teeth and experienced shocking sensation from their teeth than non-denture users. Conclusion: The prevalence of removable partial denture use was low among the respondents. The denture wearer were more likely to report higher perceived efficacy in oral self-care and prevention of gingivodental disease despite indulgence in unhealthy oral health practices and lower receipt of professional instruction on tooth brushing. The implication of this study is that dental practitioner should endeavor to give oral health instruction to removable partial denture users to improve their oral health practices and decrease the risk of preventable oral diseases.

Background: The development of success-oriented hepatitis-B vaccine uptake approach among dental surgeons is dependent on the availability of comprehensive baseline data. Objective: To determine the hepatitis-B vaccination status among dental surgeons in Benin City. Materials and Methods: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of dental surgeons in Benin City was conducted in May 2011. The questionnaire elicited information on demography, occupational risk rating of contracting hepatitis-B infection, hepatitis-B vaccination status, barriers to uptake of hepatitis vaccine, and suggestions on how to improve hepatitis-B vaccination rates among dental surgeons. Results: Participation rate in the study was 93.3%. More than half (51.4%) of the respondents were 20–30 years old and 52 (74.3%) were males. The occupational risk of contracting hepatitis-B infection among dental surgeons was rated as either high or very high by 51 (72.9%) of the respondents. Amongst the respondents, 14 (20.0%) had received three doses of the hepatitis-B vaccine, 34 (48.6%) either two doses or a single dose, and 22 (31.4%) were not vaccinated. The major barriers reported among the respondents who were not vaccinated were lack of opportunity and the fear of side effects of the vaccines. The suggested ways to increase the vaccination rate among the respondents in descending order include: Making the vaccine available at no cost (51.4%), educating dentists on the merits of vaccination (17.1%), and using the evidence of vaccination as a requirement for annual practicing license renewal (14.3%) and for the employment of dental surgeons (11.4%) and others (2.9%). Conclusion: This study revealed low prevalence of complete hepatitis-B vaccination among the respondents. Improvement in uptake following the respondents’ recommendations will serve as a template in developing success-oriented strategies among stakeholders. Keywords: Dental surgeon, Hepatitis-B, Vaccination status

To cite this article: Int J Dent Hygiene10, 2012; 245–249 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2011.00537.x Azodo CC, Ezeja EB, Omoaregba JO, James BO. Oral health of psychiatric patients: the nurse’s perspective. Abstract: Objective: To assess nurses’ perspectives on character, prevalence and cause of oral diseases among psychiatric patients and also their approach and suggestions in relation to the care of oral problems. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of all cadres of nurses (n = 136) at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, was conducted between December 2010 and January 2011. Results: Two-thirds (67.6%) of the respondents reported that psychiatric in-patients in comparison with the general population have a higher occurrence of oral and dental problems. Commonly cited reasons for the poor oral health of patients included as follows: sedation for long periods, lack of care by family, psychopathological symptoms, poor access to dentists and lack of oral hygiene advice. The common oral health complaints received by the respondents included toothache, pain from the gums and inability to open the mouth. Majority (91.4%) of respondents claimed to be presently involved with oral care of psychiatric in-patients but oral care delivery is however bedevilled with lot of barriers like uncooperativeness of patients and lack of oral care materials. Conclusion: Oral complaints received are frequent and numerate with limited palliative action rendered. Attaching dentists to psychiatric hospitals and regular training of psychiatric nurses on oral care delivery are recommended to comprehensively cater for the oral health problems of psychiatric in-patients.

Dental care of HIV-positive individuals plays a vital role in improving their nutritional intake, medication tolerance and effectiveness, treatment success rate, and quality of life. It is therefore important to ensure optimal dental care of this group of people, especially since more of them, with or without knowledge of their serologic status, are now utilizing dental services. The objective of this study was to assess Nigerian dental students' willingness to treat HIV-positive individuals. A descriptive cross-sectional survey of all seventy-six final-year dental students of the University of Benin, Nigeria, was conducted in December 2007 using a self-administered questionnaire that elicited information on the students' demography, self-rated knowledge on HIV/AIDS, attitude towards homosexuals, infection control practices, occupational risk perception, and willingness to provide care for HIV-positive individuals. The response rate was 76.3 percent. Over 77 percent of the respondents were in the twenty-five to thirty years age group. The male-female ratio was approximately 1.6:1. HIV-related knowledge was reported as high by only 31 percent of the respondents. Eighty-one percent showed great interest in HIV-related information, while about half (53.4 percent) exhibited significant worry about occupational contagion. Forty-eight (82.7 percent) desired more knowledge about safety precautions during treatment of HIV patients. Fifty respondents (86.2 percent) reported good infection control practices. About three-fourths (74.2 percent) rated the risk of HIV contagion from patients high, while only one-fourth (25.8 percent) reported having an unsympathetic attitude towards homosexuals. Almost all respondents (98.3 percent) agreed that oral care for HIV-positive individuals improves their quality of life, but only 58.8 percent expressed a willingness to treat HIV-positive patients and only 46.5 percent said they will render volunteer dental services in HIV centers. HIV prevalence will determine the location of practice of 41.4 percent of the respondents. The result suggests the need to have a comprehensive educational/motivational program for the next generation of dentists in Nigeria in order to ensure adequate care of HIV-positive individuals. The perceived deficiency revealed in this study can also serve as a vital guide for curriculum change on HIV-related issues.

This article reported exploratory removal foreign body in the form of a piece of broken glass embedded in the subcutaneous tissues of the right temporal region of a 10-year-old boy who had accidental fall on a glass slab about 12 weeks earlier without imaging technique. The presenting complaint was pain and swelling adjacent to a healed scar (point of entry of the foreign body). Exploration was done out under local anesthesia, and a 2.0 cm by 1.0 cm piece of broken glass was removed. The postoperative period was uneventful. Complications from accidental foreign bodies can be minimized by a more thorough examination of resultant wounds. Proper accidental wound cleansing in children to remove all foreign bodies by parents or doctors at home or the hospital, respectively, is necessary to prevent retention of foreign bodies and their consequent complications.

Introduction: The epidemiology of herpes labialis has been relatively neglected. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of self-reported herpes labialis among Nigerian dental health providers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study of final year dental students and dentists undergoing postgraduate training at University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria was conducted in June, 2014. The demographic information, lifetime and period (previous year) experience of the herpes labialis, perceived triggers and action taken during the last episode were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: The annual prevalence of herpes labialis was 7.4% while the lifetime prevalence was 22.1%. The lifetime prevalence was significantly associated with marital status, professional status and family history of herpes labialis. However, in binary regression, it was only marital status and family history of herpes labialis that emerged as the determinants of this lifetime prevalence. The most common trigger factors reported by the participants for the last episode of herpes labialis were fever, malaria, fatigue and stress. The actions taken by participants for the last episode of herpes labialis were using drugs without prescription (14.3%), application of lubricant (23.8%), nothing (57.1%) and could not remember (4.8%). Conclusion: Data from this study revealed that one out of fourteen and one out of five every studied dental healthcare providers had experienced herpes labialis in the last 12 months and their lifetime respectively. The reduction of fever inducing infections, stress and fatigue which were major triggers will help decrease herpes labialis among this studied group.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection among patients attending the Dental Clinic of General Hospital Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The study was a prospective study of 1080 dental patients of General Hospital Minna. Results: Out of the 1080 patients counseled, only 200 gave consent to participate in the study. Of the 200 participants, 8 tested positive for HIV, giving a prevalence of 4.0%. Females and participants in the sixth and fifth decades of life were found to have higher prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. Corpers and traders had higher prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. Participants with periodontal complaints (bleeding gums and shaking teeth) also had higher prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. The proportion of participants that reported having knowledge about the actual existence, risk factors, and prevention of HIV/AIDS was high. The proportion of participants who expressed willingness to receive more information on HIV-related issues was high. Conclusion: One out of 25 patients attending this secondary healthcare setting for dental services had undiagnosed HIV infection. This highlights the need for the establishment of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) unit in the dental clinics and also re-emphasizes the strict compliance of standard precaution in dental practices.

Background The few existing studies on herpes labialis among health care workers have been predominantly among non-dental health care workers. The purpose of this study was to determine Nigerian dental health care providers’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, preventive behaviors for, and refusal to treat patients with herpes labialis. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year dental students at the University of Benin, dental house officers, and residents at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Data collection was via a self-administered questionnaire. Bivariate statistics and logistic regression were used to relate the dependent and independent variables. Results Of the 120 questionnaires distributed, 110 were completed and returned, giving a 91.7 % retrieval rate. However, 15 of the returned questionnaires were discarded because they were improperly completed, leaving a total of 95 questionnaires for final analysis in this study. The majority of participants were over 28 years old (54.7 %), male (67.4 %), unmarried (66.3 %), and postgraduate dental health care providers (51.6 %). Less than half (43.2 %) of participants demonstrated adequate overall knowledge of herpes labialis. About one-tenth (10.5 %) and more than three-quarters (87.4 %) of participants reported a positive attitude and performance of adequate preventive behaviors, respectively. A total of 16.8 % of participants reported a high tendency to refuse treatment to patients with herpes labialis. Although not statistically significant, young, unmarried, male undergraduate participants reported a greater likelihood to refuse treatment to herpes labialis patients. We found a statistically significant positive correlation between attitude and refusal to treat patients with herpes labialis. However, marital status and the attitude of participants toward these patients emerged as the determinants for refusal to treat patients with herpes labialis. Conclusions Data from this study revealed a high level of inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes, and reasonably adequate preventive behaviors with respect to herpes labialis. One out of every six dental health care workers studied reported having refused to treat patients with herpes labialis. Unmarried dental health care providers and those with negative attitudes toward herpes labialis patients were more prone to refuse treatment to these patients. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-015-1023-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: The rehabilitative dental care is important for maintaining adequate nutrition, guarding against wasting syndrome and malnutrition among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‑infected individuals. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the Nigerian dental technology students’ knowledge and misconceptions about HIV infection and their willingness to care for HIV‑infected patients. Subjects and Methods: This descriptive cross‑sectional study of dental technology students of Federal School of Dental Therapy and Technology Enugu, Nigeria was conducted in 2010. Data was subjected to descriptive, non‑parametric and parametric statistics using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 (Chicago Illinois, USA). P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The knowledge about the mode of HIV transmission and prevention among the respondents was high with some misconceptions. Specifically, the misconceptions about HIV transmission through a mosquito bite (P = 0.02) and shaking of hands (P = 0.03) were higher among respondents in the higher class than those in lower class. However, 10.6% (21/198), 6.1% (12/198) and 4.0% (8/198) of the respondents erroneous described HIV as harmless, self‑limitation and antibiotics responsive infection respectively. Of the respondents, 78.8% (156/198) and 83.3% (165/198) of them expressed willingness to care for HIV‑infected patients and expressed need for training in the clinical care of HIV‑infected patients respectively. Overall, the respondents opined that the dental therapists are the most suitable dental professional to pass HIV‑related information to patients in the dental setting ahead of dentists and dental surgery assistants. Conclusion: The expressed willingness to care for HIV‑infected patients, knowledge about the mode of HIV transmission and prevention among the respondents were high with existent misconceptions. There were no significant differences in the knowledge about HIV infection and willingness to care for HIV‑infected patients among respondents in the lower class and those in upper class.Keywords: Care, Dental technology students, Human immunodeficiency virus‑infected patients, Knowledge, Misconceptions, Willingness

Background: Undetected and unaddressed anxiety negatively affects performance in clinical learning environments. Aim: The aim was to investigate the anxiety provoking situations in clinical dental care delivery among students of preclinical and clinical years and house officers. Subjects and Methods: A 38‑item modified Moss and McManus clinical anxiety questionnaire, general health questionnaire‑12 (GHQ‑12) and the Zung self‑rating anxiety scale were the data collection tools. Results: Of the 84 recruited, 79 completed the study giving 94.0% (79/84) response rate. The median age of the participants was 25 years with 50.6% (40/79) being 20‑25 years. Gender distribution revealed that males constituted 60.8% (48/79) of the participants. House officers constituted 29.1% (23/79), clinical students 36.7% (29/79), and preclinical students 34.2 (27/79) of the participants. The top anxiety provoking situations using the modified Moss and McManus clinical anxiety questionnaire were extracting wrong tooth 3.24 (1.06), inability to pass examination 3.32 (1.01), achieving examination requirement 3.19 (1.01), fracturing a tooth 3.08 (0.98) and accidental pulp exposure 2.96 (1.04). Getting diagnosis wrong, help in faint episode, not developing radiograph properly and coping with children were the anxiety provoking situations that showed statistically significant difference in the 3 studied training stages of dentistry. Bonferroni post‑hoc analysis significant difference was in the preclinical and clinical students’ pair for getting diagnosis wrong, not developing radiograph properly and coping with children while house officers/clinical students and house officers/preclinical students’ pairs were for help in faint episode. Overall, 2.5% (2/79) had severe, 69.6% (55/79) moderate, 26.6% (21/79) mild clinical anxiety while 1 (1.3%) of the participants expressed no clinical anxiety. Conclusion: Data from this study revealed that the clinical anxiety of moderate severity was prevalent among the studied dental healthcare students. The anxiety‑provoking situations were also found to be majorly similar in preclinical, clinical and post‑graduation clinical stages of dental training stages in Nigeria.

Two cases of esthetically displeasing and recurrent gingival enlargement were reported. A case of 26-year-old female with gingival enlargement in the maxillary anterior region which has been excised twice by General Dental Practitioners and another case of 42-year-old female with gingival enlargement in the maxillary anterior region that caused displacement and mobility of associated tooth. Both cases had radiologic evidence of bone loss. Excisional biopsy was carried out and the histologic diagnosis was peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF). Healing of the surgical site was uneventful. POF should be considered as the diagnosis in cases of esthetically displeasing and recurrent maxillary anterior region gingival enlargement.

Objective: Tooth mobility, which is a common problem among patients seeking dental health-care attention, causes occlusal instability, masticatory disturbances, esthetic challenges, and impaired quality of life. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of tooth mobility among patients attending a Nigerian specialist periodontology clinic. Materials and Methods: All the patients who visited the Periodontology Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, from January to December 2014, were retrospectively studied. Those with recorded tooth mobility assessed using Miller tooth mobility index were further analyzed. Results: Of the 736 records assessed, 75 patients, aged between 18 and 94 years with median age of 56 years and mean age of 53.89 ± 17.82 years, had tooth mobility, giving a prevalence of 10.2%. The greater proportion of the patients were elderly (32.0%), females (58.7%), ever married (82.7%), indigenous (61.3%), and completely dentate (53.3%). The leading primary presenting complaints were toothache (37.3%), teeth replacement (14.7%), and shaking teeth (13.3%). Nearly half (48.0%) of the patients had one or more underlying medical condition. About two-thirds (61.3%) cleaned their teeth once daily, and 58.7% had previous visits to the dentist. The total number of mobile teeth was 202. Incisors (59.4%) and first molars (7.4%) were found to be the dominant mobile teeth. The mean debris score, calculus score, and oral hygiene score were 1.40 ± 0.09, 1.49 ± 0.12, and 2.78 ± 0.18, respectively, using simplified oral hygiene index. Conclusion: Data from this study revealed that one out of every ten patients attending Nigerian periodontology clinic had tooth mobility of varying grades, and teeth of esthetic (incisors) and masticatory ( first molars) value were mainly affected. Prompt and effective care should be rendered to facilitate retention of the affected teeth.

Objective Daily clinical activities in dental operatory expose dental surgeons to varied forms of ocular events. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of ocular splashes and foreign bodies among dental surgeons in Nigeria. Methods This questionnaire-based cross-sectional of dental surgeons in Southern Nigeria was conducted between September 2010 and August 2011. The information elicited were demography, experience and type of ocular event, implicated dental procedure and action taken. Results Of the 185 studied, 148 of them responded. Of these 148 respondents, 56 (37.8%) reported foreign body, 18 (12.2%) splash, 33 (22.3%) both foreign body and splash while 41 (27.7%) reported no ocular event. It therefore means that the overall prevalence of ocular events among the respondents was 107 (72.3%). The prevalence of ocular events was significantly associated with age (p = 0.014), years of practice (p = 0.033) and safety eye goggle use (p = 0.023). The main dental procedures implicated in the ocular events among the respondents were scaling 77 (72.0%), tooth/cavity preparation 17 (15.9%), polishing 11 (10.3%) and forcep tooth extraction 10 (9.3%). The major implicated aetiological agents in the ocular events were calculus 74 (69.2%), saliva 29 (27.1%), mixed blood & saliva 19 (17.8%), tooth particles 15 (14.0%) and blood 9 (8.4%). The predominant action taken by the respondents was to rinse the eye under running water 89 (83.2%). Conclusion Ocular splash and foreign body events are high among dental surgeons in Nigeria. Age, years of practice and safety eye goggles wear were also found to be associated with ocular events. Eye safety awareness is therefore deemed a necessity for dental surgeon in Southern Nigeria.