Pattern of Presentation, Reason for Presentation and Treatment of Paediatric Dental Patients at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital: A Three-Year Review https://doi.org/10.60787/NMJ-64-3-170
Main Article Content
Keywords
Paediatric patient, dental attendance, treatment
Abstract
Background: Dental attendance is regarded as one of the essential pointers to oral health education and awareness. Dental visit of children is often dependent on factors related to the parent's/caregivers’ health-seeking behaviour. Routine dental attendance has been shown to be associated with better oral health care.
Objective: To assess the pattern of presentation, the reason for presentation and the treatment of paediatric dental patients at a tertiary institution in Nigeria.
Methodology: It was a retrospective study which involved data retrieval from the patient’s record books from July 2018 to June 2021. Data on age, gender, presenting complaint, impression/diagnosis and treatment were collected from the dental records and analysed using IBM SPSS statistics version 22.
Result: Out of 6645 records, complete data of 329(5%) children were used for the study. Children within the age range of 6-12 years old were in the majority, 203(61.7%). Female children attended more 179 (54.4%) compared to the males 150 (45.6%). Pain was the major reason for dental attendance (41%) and the commonest diagnosis made was sequelae of dental caries 93 (23.4%). The treatment offered most was tooth extraction 124 (37.7%), while the least was apexogenesis 2 (0.6%). The relationship between age and sequelae of dental caries was statistically significant.
Conclusion: Children within the mixed dentition stage attended the clinic more as a result of complications of dental caries. Pain was the major complaint and the majority of the children lost their teeth because they presented late.
References
2.Olajide MA, Babalogbon S, LadejiA.M, Fasasi O, Abah A, Akinleye, A. et al. Pattern and Distribution of Patients’ Dental Attendance in a Nigerian Tertiary Centre.Saudi J Oral Dent Res 2021; 6:251-260.
3.Sen AB, Blackburn J. Effectiveness of preventive dental visits in reducing nonpreventive dental visits and expenditures. Pediatrics. 2020;131:1107–13.
4.Righolt AJ, Jevdjevic M, Marcenes W, ListlS. Global-, regional-, and country-level economic impacts of dental diseases in 2015. J Dent Res. 2018;97:501–507.
5.Langevin SM, Michaud DS, Eliot M, Peters ES, McClean MD, Kelsey KT. Regular dental visits are associated with earlier stage at diagnosis for oral and pharyngeal cancer. Cancer Causes Control. 2012;23:1821-1829.
6.ThomsonWM,WilliamsSM,BroadbentJM,PoultonR,LockerD. Long-term dental visiting patterns and adult oral health. J Dent Res2010; 89:307–311.
7.Aqeeli A, Alsharif AT, Kruger E, Tennant M. Factors Influencing Children’s Regular Attendance at Dental Clinics in Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Health Syst Res.2021; 1:140–146.
8.Eigbobo J. Pattern of Presentation of Oral Health Conditions among Children at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Pesquisa Brasileiraem Odontopediatriae Clínica Integrada 2011;11:105-109.
9.Aishuwariya T, Sindhu R, Delphine PAS. Retrospective Study on Reasons for Seeking Treatment for Dental Caries and the Associated Factors. J Res Med Dent Sc2020;8:511-517.
10.Anyanechi, CE, Saheeb, BD. Reasons underlying failure to seek early dental treatment among patients presenting in a Nigeria Tertiary Hospital. J Med Bio Re2013;12:37-45.
11.Adegbembo AO, El-Nadeff MAI, Adeyinka A. National survey of dental caries status and treatment need in Nigeria.Int Dent J.1995; 45:35-44.
12.Folaranmi N, Akaji E, Onyejaka N. Pattern of presentation of oral health conditions by children at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu: A retrospective study. Niger.J.Clin.Pract.2014; 17:47-50.
13.Siddique R, SureshbabuNM, Somasundaram J, Benoy J, Deepak S. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of precipitate formation following interaction of chlorhexidine with sodium hypochlorite, neem, and tulsi. J Conserv Dent2019; 22:40–47.
14.Bassey GO, Anyanechi CE, Ekabua KJ, Ekabua JE. Oral health among antenatal care attendees in Calabar, Nigeria. J Obs& Gyn.2010. 30:143-146.
15.Denloye O, Ajayi D, Bankole O, Bamidele P. Dental service utilization among Junior Secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria. Pediatr Dent J.2010; 20:177–181.
16.Corbert EF. An international comparison of socio-economic status and oral health. Br Dent J.2003; 194:88-194.
17.Jeboda SO. Implication of low dental awareness in Nigeria. Nig Dent J. 2008; 16:43-45.
18.Heck EK, Parker DJ. Family structure, socioeconomic status and access to health care for children. Health Serv Res. 2002; 37:171-184.
19.Ola D, Gambôa AB, Folayan MO, Marcenes W. Family structure, socioeconomic position and utilization of oral health services among Nigeriansenior secondary school pupils. J Public Health Dent. 2013;73:158-165.
20.Nuttall NM, Bradnock G, White D, Morris J, Nunn J. Dental attendance in 1998 and implications for the future. BrDent J2001; 190:177-182.23:1821–1829.
21.Akaji EA, Chukwuemeke FN, Okeke UF. Attendance pattern amongst patients at the dental clinic of the university of Nigeria Teaching hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Niger J Med. 2012; 21:74-77.
22.Obeng SO. Dental care issues for African immigrant families of preschoolers. Early Childhood Research and Practice. 2008; 10(2). Retrieved fromhttp://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v10n2/obeng.html.Accessed June 2022.
23.Williams NJ, Whittle JG, Gatrell AC. The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and dental health knowledge and attitudes of parents with young children. Br Dent J. 2002:7; 193:651-654.
24.Azodo CC, Ogordi PU. Pain-related pediatric dental attendance in a Nigerian dental clinic. J Oral Res Rev2016; 8:6-11.
25.Finley GA, Kristjánsdóttir O, Forgeron PA. Cultural influences on the assessment of children's pain. Pain Res Manag2009: 14:33-7.
26.Onyejaka NK, Lawal BN, Okechukwu RA, Osayande MO, Alamba IC. Pattern of patients' attendance to the dental clinic of federal college of dental technology and therapy, Enugu, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J.2018, 13;29:151. Doi:10.11604/pamj.
27.Oginni AO, Adekoya-SofoworaC.A. Pulpal sequelae after trauma to anterior teeth among adult Nigerian dental patients. BMC Oral Health2007; 7:11-11.
28.EzEldeen M, Gizani S, Declerck D. Long-term outcome of oral health in patients with early childhood caries treated under general anaesthesia. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2015;16:333–340.
29.Large JF, Keightley AJ, Busuttil-Naudi A. Participation of paediatric patients in primary dental care before and after a dental general anaesthetic. Eur Arch Paed Dent2021. 22:887-897.
30.Amoah G.K, Blankson PK, Thadani M, Newman-Nartey M, Appiah-Bolfrey D, AyimS.O, AikinsG, et al.Pattern of paediatricoral health presentations in Ghana: A year’s retrospective study of a hospital-based clinic.African Journal of Dentistry2018; 6:142-147.
31.Janani K, PalaniveluA, Sandhya R. Diagnostic accuracy of dental pulse oximeter with customized sensor holder, thermal test and electric pulp test for the evaluation of pulp vitality: an in vivo study. Brazi Dent Sci2020; 23:1-8.