scholarly journals A document analysis for improving Oral Health Services in Niue

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 139-148
Author(s):  
Vili Nosa ◽  
Nafanua Pili ◽  
Leroy Tatui

ABSTRACT Background There is very little research that focuses on oral health in the Pacific region. This paper outlines      a document analysis of dental reports from the dental clinic in Niue and to examine their oral health and dental services. Furthermore this paper is intended to highlight how oral services in Niue can be improved for better oral health care for the Niue community.        Methods: A document analysis of seven Niue dental reports between July 2011 to July 2018. The information found in the documents were organised under the sections clinical data reporting. The analysis also focused on a strength based approached for discussing the key challenges; the main achievements; and future recommendations for improving dental services for Niue. Results: Dental caries are the most common reason for tooth extractions followed by periodontal diseases. Primary school students are affected the most with 60 percent of students experiencing untreated dental caries. Among high school students, the rate of dental caries experienced is relatively low. Women appear to attend the dental clinic more than men however the number of visits for both men and women has declined. The key challenges faced by the dental team were a lack of resources specifically shortage of computers and functioning dental chairs, unfamiliarity with MEDTECH and limited staff development opportunities. Despite these challenges, the team were still able to establish the ‘Atuhau Mamali’ programme and upskill one staff member through professional development. Other achievements included reducing noise pollution, allocating a budget for safety equipment and establishing clinical guidelines for practice. Conclusions: Recommendations to improve oral health and dental services in Niue are to deliver targeted dental caries interventions in schools, introduce stronger food policies and to implement collaborative networks across the Pacific region. It is recommended that the Niue dental team develop more rigorous methods of data documentation to gain a more accurate picture of oral health in the country.

Author(s):  
Nasreen Hamarash Hamonari ◽  
Samim Ahmed AL Dabbagh ◽  
Anees Mahmood Mudhir

Introduction: A healthy oral cavity is a vital state for a healthy living, which can be influenced by oral cavity diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease. Dental caries and periodontal disorders are the major oral health problems and indicators of the oral health burden worldwide. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases among secondary school students and their association with socio-demographic factors in Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a randomly selected sample of 809 high school students (395 females and 414 males) aged 14-20 years from eight secondary schools using multistage random sampling in four quarters of Duhok city from December 2018 to May 2019. The dental caries status was assessed by the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index and periodontal status was assessed by using the Gingival Index (GI) and Plaque Index (PI). Results: The prevalence of dental caries was significantly higher (p=0.002) among males (93.5%) in comparison to females (86.8%). Also, the DMFT ≥5 among males (62.6%) was significantly higher than that (40.8%) among females (p<0.001). No significant association was detected between DMFT ≥5 and the socio-economic status (p=0.090). Likewise, the prevalence of moderate to severe gingivitis was significantly higher among males (63.5%) than females (55.2%) (p=0.016). However, the prevalence of moderate to severe gingivitis was higher among those living in low socio-economic quarters (63%) compared with those living in high socio-economic quarters (56.2%) of Duhok city (p=0.049). Conclusion: The results of this study provide evidence of a high prevalence of caries and periodontal diseases among secondary school students aged 14-20 years in Duhok city. Mean caries and gingival indices were significantly higher in males in comparison to females.


2016 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 138-141
Author(s):  
Ewa Kuchta ◽  
Renata Chałas ◽  
Leszek Szalewski ◽  
Elżbieta Pietryka-Michałowska ◽  
Jolanta Szymańska

Abstract Introduction. Evaluation of the oral health among adult Poles carried out in the framework of the “National Monitoring of Oral Health and Its Determinants” study and the research results of clinical centers in Poland indicate that dental caries, periodontal diseases and missing teeth are a major health problem. Aim. The aim of the study was determining the reasons for reporting to the dentist of 35-54-year-old people, the assessment of dental health and prosthetic needs. Material and methods. The study comprised 154 patients aged 35-54 reporting in 2015 to the dental clinic in Lublin, which offers treatment financed by the National Health Fund or for a fee. Gender, age, the place of residence and the reason for the reporting to the dentist were analyzed. The place of residence was a village, a town of less than 200 thousand inhabitants or the city of more than 200 thousand residents. The reason for reporting to the dental clinic was a check-up visit, toothache or loss of filling. Dental condition was assessed by calculating the DMF index. The prosthetic state and needs were evaluated. The results were statistically analyzed. Results. Most patients reporting to the dental examination were women (59.09%) and residents of a big city (70.78%). More than a half of the patients (55.84%) had a check-up appointment, 25.32% appeared due to the loss of filling, and 18.83% - because of a toothache. The frequency of decay in the study group was 100% and the DMF index values ranged from 2.0 to 32.0, assuming an average of 21.18±5.02, and with the age the DMF index values increased. The highest number of decayed and extracted teeth were found in the rural population. Both residents of big cities and patients who reported for regular check-ups had the biggest number of fillings. Conclusion. Dental caries is still a major health problem in Polish population aged 35-44. Poor oral health among the adult population in Poland is due to the low health awareness of society. This requires launching large-scale dental educational campaigns and prevention measures among adult Polish citizens, especially in rural areas.


2012 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Min-Ja Kim ◽  
Dong-Il Shin ◽  
Hee-Jeong Yang ◽  
Seung-Youn Lee

BDJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalina Opazo-García ◽  
Jeel Moya-Salazar ◽  
Karina Chicoma-Flores ◽  
Hans Contreras-Pulache

Abstract Introduction Dental care is provided for high-performance athletes at national and international sports events. Elite athletes may seek care for sports-related injuries and pre-existing oral diseases. Previous studies indicate an association between oral health problems and negative performance impacts in elite athletes. Objectives To determine the prevalence of the most common oral pathologies in high-performance athletes during the emergency dental care performed at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games (JPL-19). Methodology All reports of athletes (≥18 years old, of both sexes, from 41 countries) who received emergency dental care at Pan American Villas during the JPL-19 were included. Injuries and types of oral diseases were classified according to the Injury and Disease Surveillance System proposed by the International Olympic Committee. Results Of the 6680 participating athletes, 76 (1.14%) presented as dental emergencies, 90.8% (69/76) of the athletes seen presented pre-existing oral pathological conditions, the most frequent were periodontal diseases (34%, 26/76) and dental caries (29%, 22/76). Among the sports with the most cases, there were 22 (29%) in athletics, 6 (8%) in soccer, and 6 (8%) in taekwondo. The most frequent dental emergencies came from Peru, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Grenada, and Venezuela. Conclusions Pre-existing oral diseases were more frequent than sports-related accidents. The most prevalent diseases were periodontal disease and dental caries disease. It is necessary to implement new care strategies for athletes, based on prevention, before and during sports competitions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole. A. Palmer ◽  
Zhangmuge Cheng

Oral diseases are among the most prevalent diseases affecting global health. In his report on the crisis in oral disease in America, the Surgeon General warned that one cannot be truly healthy without oral health. Oral health means freedom from all oral health problems; tooth decay (dental caries), periodontal diseases, tooth loss, oral-facial pain, oral cancer and the effects of its treatment, oral infections, craniofacial birth defects and more. The relationships between oral conditions and systemic health and disease are many and synergistic, and most involve dietary and/or systemic nutritional factors. Diet and nutrition can play important roles in the etiology, prevention, and/or management of oral conditions, as they do in overall health and disease. Today, all health professionals and educators need to be aware of and consider oral issues and their possible diet/nutritional implications as a component of optimal health care and education. This review article provides a brief overview of how diet and nutrition impact and are impacted by oral conditions, and offers general guidelines and resources for providing meaningful interventions throughout the life cycle. This review contains 3 figures, 3 tables, and 57 references Key Words: biofilm, cariogenic, dental caries, dental plaque, ECC-early childhood caries, lactobacillus, mucositis, non-cariogenic, periodontal disease, Streptococcus mutans


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document