Oral-health-related background factors and dental service utilisation among Sudanese children with and without a congenital heart defects

Abstract

BackgroundSudanese children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) were found to have poorer oral health than those without CHDs. The aims of this study were to: describe the patterns of oral-health-related background factors in children with and without CHD and explore any differences, and to evaluate the effects of background factors on caries and gingivitis prevalence and dental services utilisation.MethodsIn this analytical cross-sectional study, caregivers of children aged 3–12 years with (CHD cases n = 111) and without CHDs (Controls n = 182), underwent face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire items covered several oral health background factors (independent variables) including: child’s health status, oral hygiene practices, dental services utilization, mother’s level of education, and caregiver’s perception and awareness of their child’s oral health. The relationship between these factors and occurrence of ‘caries’ and ‘gingivitis’ as well as ‘child’s dental services utilisation’ (dependent variables) were explored using multiple adjusted and hierarchal logistic regression analyses.ResultsCompared with controls, CHD cases had lower frequencies of brushing and use of fluoridated toothpaste, and their caregivers were less knowledgeable about caries. Among CHD cases, the variables (brushing and fluoridated toothpaste use) had significant impacts on caries prevalence (odd ratio (OR) =5.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4–22.8 and OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.8 for infrequent compared to frequent ones, respectively) as well as the mother’s level of education (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.0–6.4). When differences in background factors were controlled for, the adjusted ORs for caries and gingivitis prevalence in CHD cases compared with controls were 1.8, (95% CI: 1.1–3.2) and 5.3 (95% CI: 2.9–9.4), respectively. Among CHD cases, the child’s age (8–12 years: OR = 11.9, 95% CI: 1.9–71.6), and the mother’s level of education (lower education: OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.03–0.9) were significantly associated with the child’s dental services utilisation.ConclusionsLower frequencies of brushing and use of fluoride tooth paste were reported among CHD cases, and brushing had the predominant significant impact on caries prevalence. The child’s age and the mother’s level of education were the main factors affecting the child’s (CHD cases) dental services utilisation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-016-0318-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence of Dental Decay and Periodontal Diseases Among Children Suffering From Congenital Heart Diseases. A Literature Review – Part Iii

“…In another recent study in Sudan, a significantly higher prevalence of caries and gingivitis among children aged 3-12 years with a CHD than among those without a CHD, was found (16). The role of the caregiver of a child with a CHD, in terms of practicing daily oral health activities and possessing oral health knowledge, has been recognized to be a risk factor of great importance (1,16,25).…”

“…Some studies on the dental knowledge and attitudes of children with a CHD and their caregivers have yielded unsatisfactory results with regard to oral hygiene practices and the use of dental services (7,(16)(17)(18)(19). A study conducted in Brazil in 2002 found that 28.8% of children with a CHD had never visited a dentist (16,20).…”

“…Some studies on the dental knowledge and attitudes of children with a CHD and their caregivers have yielded unsatisfactory results with regard to oral hygiene practices and the use of dental services (7,(16)(17)(18)(19). A study conducted in Brazil in 2002 found that 28.8% of children with a CHD had never visited a dentist (16,20). The authors also reported that 47.1% of these children brushed their teeth more than once daily, which was below expectations despite the fact that brushing was performed with parental supervision (16,20).…”

“…A study conducted in Brazil in 2002 found that 28.8% of children with a CHD had never visited a dentist (16,20). The authors also reported that 47.1% of these children brushed their teeth more than once daily, which was below expectations despite the fact that brushing was performed with parental supervision (16,20). A study undertaken in the UK in 1996 showed that caregivers of children with a CHD attended fewer regular dental check-ups for their children than caregivers of children with no medical problems (16,21).…”

“…In studies from several developing countries, caregivers of children with a CHD reported being less aware about the link between CHDs and oral diseases and the increased risk of their children developing infective endocarditis (16,20,22,23). However, in studies from other developed countries, caregivers had fairly better knowledge (12,16,24).…”