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Introduction: Developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies include anomalies of number, size, shape, and structure of the teeth. Anomalies in primary dentition are associated with anomalies in the permanent dentition. The present study identified the sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies in primary dentition. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 433 preschool children aged 5 years and below in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu, Nigeria. Data on sociodemographic profile were collected, and clinical examination was conducted on the children to record the presence of double tooth, hypodontia, hyperdontia (supernumerary), microdontia, talons cusp, hypoplasia, and Hutchinson's incisors. Results: The prevalence of developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies was 14 (3.2%). Five-year-old children (28.6%), male children (57.1%), and children belonging to high socioeconomic status (50.0%) had developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies, and there was a statistically significant association between past dental visit (P < 0.001) and developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies. There was no statistically significant association between age (P = 0.80), sex (P = 0.75), socioeconomic status (P = 0.83), and developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies. The most common developmental dental anomaly was double tooth (1.6%), whereas talons cusp (0.2%) and hyperdontia (0.2%) occurred the least. The upper central incisors were affected the most (48.5%). Conclusion: The prevalence of developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies was low, and past dental visit was associated with developmental dental hard-tissue anomalies in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study assessed the direct, indirect and total effect of distal – political - risk indicators (affecting populations), and proximal risk indicators (affecting women) on the global prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in 3–5 year old children. Methods: Data on global ECC prevalence were obtained from a prior study. Data for distal risk indicators (voice and accountability; political stability/absence of terrorism; control of corruption) were obtained from the World Bank Governance indicators, 2016. Data for proximal risk indicators (women's opportunity for leadership; percentage of female legislators, top officials and managers; basic employability status of women; ability of women to afford time off work to care for newborns; gross national income (GNI) per capita for females) were derived from the Human Development Index, 2016. Associations between variables were assessed with path analysis. Results: Voice and accountability (β = − 0.60) and GNI per capita for females (β = − 0.33) were directly associated with a lower ECC prevalence. Political stability/absence of terrorism (β =0.40) and higher percentage of female legislators, senior officials and managers (β = 0.18) were directly associated with a higher ECC prevalence. Control of corruption (β = − 0.23) was indirectly associated with a lower ECC prevalence. Voice and accountability (β = 0.12) was indirectly associated with a higher ECC prevalence. Overall, voice and accountability (β = − 0.49), political stability/absence of terrorism (β = 0.34) and higher female GNI (β = − 0.33) had the greatest effects on ECC prevalence. Conclusion: Distal risk indicators may have a stronger impact on ECC prevalence than do proximal risk indicators.. Approaches to control ECC may need to include political reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral hygiene, which is measured by the status of plaque- free tooth surfaces, is essential for the promotion of oral health. This study aimed to determine the social predictors of good oral hygiene for children in a suburban population in Nigeria. This was a secondary analysis of data. The study participants were 8- to 16-year-old children who were residents in Ile-Ife, which is a suburban population in Nigeria. Information on the age, gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, number of siblings and birth rank of each study participant was retrieved from the an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Oral hygiene status was determined through a simplified-oral hygiene index (OHI-S) and categorized as good, fair and poor. The association between oral hygiene status and sociodemographic variables was determined. The predictors of good oral hygiene were determined using a binomial regression analysis. Data on 2,107 individuals were retrieved, of which 44.8% had good oral hygiene and 17.1% had poor oral hygiene. The odds of having good oral hygiene were reduced for children who were 13 to 16 years old (p = 0.02) or male (P=0.002) and children with low socioeconomic status (p ≤ 0.001). The odds of having good oral hygiene increased for children who were last-born compared with those who were first-born (p = 0.02). Age, gender, socioeconomic status and birth-rank were significant social predictive factors of oral hygiene status among the study population. Based on these findings, targeted interventions can be conducted to improve the oral hygiene status of children and adolescents with these social profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Parents are often concerned about their children's nonnutritive sucking (NNS) habits and may institute mechanisms to try to break them.Aim: The study identified various methods instituted by mothers resident in a suburban Nigeria to break NNS habits of children, reasons for wanting to break the habit, and the association between instituted methods and sociodemographic profile of the mothers.Materials and Methods: The data of 129 mothers of children aged 4 years to 12 years who had NNS habits at the time of conducting a household survey were analyzed.Statistical Analysis: Tests of associations were conducted to determine the association between maternal age and level of education and methods employed to break child's NNS habits.Results: Eighty-four mothers (65.1%) made efforts to break the habit. Habit persisting to older age was the main concern. The most common method employed for breaking habits was punishing the child (54.8%).Only 7 (20.0%) mothers who were concerned about NNS habit(s) sought professional advice. A greater though insignificant percentage of mothers in the 25-34 years age group (57.2%; P = 0.48) and those with secondary school level of education (56.0%; P = 0.12) made efforts to break their children's NNS habits.Conclusions: The majority of mothers were concerned about their children's NNS habits. However, very few concerned mothers sought professional advice. Efforts need to be made to improve the public awareness about the availability of professional services for managing NNS habits and potential impact of employing nonprofessional methods to break habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine how one dental education session and referral of study participants aged 8-11 years would affect utilization of oral-health care services. Methods: This descriptive prospective study recruited 1,406 pupils aged 8-11 years from randomly selected primary schools in Enugu metropolis. All pupils received one oral-health education and referral letters for treatment. Data were collected on the pupil' socio-demographic profile, family structure and history of oral-health care utilization in the 12 months preceding the study and within 12 months of receipt of referral letter. The effect of these factors as predictors of past and recent dental service utilization was determined using logistic regression. Results: Only 4.3% of the study participants had ever used oral-health services in the 12 months prior to the study. Within 12 months of issuing the referral letters, 9.0% of pupils used the oral-health services. Children from middle (AOR: 0.46; CI: 0.29-0.73; p=0.001) and low socioeconomic strata (AOR: 0.21; CI: 0.11-0.39; p<0.001) and those living with relatives/ guardians (AOR: 0.08, CI: 0.01-0.56; p=0.01) were still less likely to have utilized oral-health services. Conclusions: Referral of children for oral-health care increased the number of children who utilized oral health care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An early first dental clinic appointment offers the prospect of prompt preventative care and parental education regarding the oral health of the child. The evidence-based recommendation by dental professionals all over the world is that a child should visit a dentist before or by 1 year of age., Aim: This study aimed to determine the chronological age at and the purpose for a first dental clinic visit amongst children aged 16 years and below attending the Paediatric Dental Clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)., Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted amongst children who attended the Paediatric Dental Clinic at the LUTH between January 2017 and December 2018. Data on age at first dental visit, reasons for attending and other information relevant to the study were collected. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were conducted, and the level of significance was set at P < 0.05., Results: A total of 1157 children were studied, comprising 580 (50.5%) males and 577 (49.9%) females. Their mean age on their first dental visit was 7.9 ± 3.7 years. Most of the children (31.4%) had their first dental visits at 7 and 9 years, and 0.8% of the children had their first dental visit below the age of 1 year. The most common reason for visiting the dental clinic was dental pain (33.1%). A higher proportion of the children (911 [79.0%]) had their first dental visit for therapeutic purposes, whereas 246 (21.0%) children visited the dental clinic for preventive care. Sex and age at first dental visit were statistically significantly associated with the reason for attendance (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Most children had their first dental visit between the ages of 7 and 9 years, mainly because of pain. It is necessary to create more awareness among parents/caregivers and to establish the concept of dental home., Competing Interests: None