Dataset Information

Reasons for Delay in Seeking Treatment for Dental Caries in Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The delay in seeking dental treatment is a universal health problem, with a reported prevalence as high as 98%. It is a critical feature not only in planning management but also in the final treatment outcome.

Aim

This study aimed to determine the reasons for the delay in seeking treatment for dental caries amongst patients attending public dental clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Methodology

This was a cross-sectional study carried out in 5 public hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It included 315 adult patients who had dental caries. Data were collected using a questionnaire that included questions regarding reasons for the delay in seeking care for dental caries. Data were analysed using the SPSS computer software version 26. A one-way analysis of variance was used to assess the association between variables, and the significance level was set at P < .05.

Results

A majority (n = 244, 77.5%) of the participants delayed seeking dental care upon noting a problem in their teeth. However, the association between the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and delay in seeking dental care was statistically insignificant (P > .05). The most common reason given by the participants who delayed seeking dental care for their decayed teeth included self-negligence (n = 184, 75.4%), the practice of self-medication (n = 164, 67.2%), and ignorance (n = 110, 45.1%).

Conclusions

The majority of patients experiencing dental caries seek dental care very late. Delay in seeking dental care is not dependent on sociodemographic characteristics of individuals. Self-negligence, the practice of self‑medication, and ignorance are the major reasons for the delay.

SUBMITTER: Sachedina T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10023585 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Reasons for Delay in Seeking Treatment for Dental Caries in Tanzania.

Sachedina Tatheer T Sohal Karpal Singh KS Owibingire Sira Stanslaus SS Hamza Omar J M OJM

International dental journal 20220825 2

<h4>Introduction</h4>The delay in seeking dental treatment is a universal health problem, with a reported prevalence as high as 98%. It is a critical feature not only in planning management but also in the final treatment outcome.<h4>Aim</h4>This study aimed to determine the reasons for the delay in seeking treatment for dental caries amongst patients attending public dental clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.<h4>Methodology</h4>This was a cross-sectional study carried out in 5 public hospitals ...[more]

PMID: 36030120

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Project description:Oral diseases, such as periodontal disease and dental caries, have a high risk of recurrence and are considered to be related to dysbiosis of the oral microbiome and metabolome. It is, therefore, important to understand the state of the oral microbiome and metabolome after disease treatment to prevent recurrence. The current study sought to clarify whether oral dysbiosis improves the following remission of symptoms by dental treatment. To this end, the salivary microbiome and metabolome of healthy participants were compared to those with periodontal disease, dental caries, or both (concurrent). Saliva was collected as mouth-rinsed water and the microbiome was measured using 16S rRNA gene targeted sequencing and metabolome using capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Comparisons with healthy participants were performed before and after treatment, and several months after transition to self-care. Dental treatment significantly improved the oral health condition of each group; several months after treatment, oral health did not deteriorate. However, even after remission, the salivary microbiome of the two groups (oral disease and healthy) differed significantly. Additionally, after remission, significant differences, compared with healthy participants, remained in the relative abundances of disease-related bacteria and nitrate-reducing bacteria. After remission, significant differences were observed in the salivary metabolome in the healthy group in terms of threonate and pyrimidine metabolism-related component concentrations, which are assumed to reflect the high relative abundance of periodontal disease-related bacteria in the microbiome. Oral microbiome dysbiosis persisted even after dental treatment-induced disease remission with a sustained increased risk of disease when compared with healthy participants. IMPORTANCE We characterized the oral conditions, salivary microbiome, and metabolome after dental treatment by investigating the state after treatment completion and transition to self-care. Dental treatment improved oral health conditions, resulting in oral disease remission; however, the imbalanced state of the salivary microbiome continued even after remission. Although the results of this study are preliminary, owing to the small number of participants in each group when compared to larger cohort studies, they indicate that the risk of disease may remain higher than that of healthy participants, thereby demonstrating the importance of removing dental plaque containing disease-related bacteria using appropriate care even after treatment completion. We also identified bacterial species with relative abundances that differed from those of healthy participants even after remission of symptoms, which may indicate that the maturation of certain bacterial species must be controlled to improve the oral microbiome and reduce the risk of disease recurrence.

Dataset Information

Reasons for Delay in Seeking Treatment for Dental Caries in Tanzania.

Introduction

Aim

Methodology

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Reasons for Delay in Seeking Treatment for Dental Caries in Tanzania.

Similar Datasets

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