The mesiobuccal root tended to have more variations in the canal system followed by the distobuccal root, whereas the palatal root had the least. The findings in root and canal morphology of this Ugandan population were different from previous studies, which may partly be attributed to racial differences.

BackgroundTooth eruption is a continuous biological process by which developing teeth emerge through the jaws and the overlying mucosa to enter into the oral cavity. Tooth eruption time and sequence are important factors in dental treatment planning, particularly in orthodontics, but also in forensic dentistry to estimate age of a child. Tooth eruption time is influenced by many factors. In this study we set out to determine the timing of eruption of permanent teeth and assess its association with the height and weight of school children aged 4–15 years in Kampala, Uganda.MethodsThis was a cross sectional study comprising of 1041 healthy Ugandan children: boys/girls (520/521) who were consecutively selected from two primary schools in Kampala. The children were clinically assessed for tooth emergency through the oral mucosa as well as measuring their weight and height. The mean and standard deviation of tooth eruption time was estimated for boys and girls. Bivariate analysis was used to assess any significant association between tooth eruption time and demographic variables. Pearson and partial correlation analyses were used to assess any significant association between the tooth eruption time and anthropometric measurements of the children.ResultsGenerally, the mean eruption times for girls were lower compared to boys except for three teeth (#25, #32 and #42) which erupted earlier in boys. The average difference in mean eruption times of all teeth between boys and girls was found to be 0.8 (range, 0–1.5) years. In partial correlation analysis, mean tooth eruption times were positively, but not significantly associated with height while controlling for weight except for the mandibular left central incisor (#31). On the other hand, in partial correlation analysis, mean tooth eruption times were positively associated with weight while controlling for height except for tooth #11, #16, #26 and #41. The weight of the child was significantly correlated with mean eruption times in 50% of the teeth.ConclusionIn the present study, the mean tooth eruption times for girls were lower compared to boys except for three teeth (#25, #32 and #42). The height of the child did not show any significant influence on the tooth eruption times while the influence of weight on tooth eruption times was non-conclusive.

Objectives: To assess factors influencing the distribution of oral manifestations in HIV/AIDS-infected children attending the Paediatric Infectious Disease Clinic in Mulago Hospital, Kampala. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study comprising 237 children (males/females: 113/124) aged 1 to 12 years. The parents/guardians were interviewed to obtain demographic information, oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and health seeking behaviours as well as any medications taken. The children were clinically examined for oral lesions based on World Health Organization criteria with modifications. Results: About 71.7% of the children cleaned their teeth. About 16.9% of the children had visited a dentist since birth, mainly for emergency care. One or more oral lesions were recorded in 73% of the children of whom 19.0% experienced discomfort during oral functions. Cervical lymphadenopathy, oral candidiasis and gingivitis were the most common soft tissue oral lesions: 60.8%, 28.3% and 19.0%, respectively. Except for dental caries, the overall frequency distribution of soft tissue oral lesions was significantly lower in children on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) as compared to their counterparts not on HAART. The prevalence of dental caries in deciduous and permanent dentitions was 42.2% and 11.0%, respectively. Tooth brushing and previous visits to the dentist were indirectly and significantly associated with dental caries. About 5.9% (n=14) of the children had <200 CD3 + CD4 T-lymphocyte cells per μl of blood. Conclusions: The majority of the children had one or more oral lesions, particularly in the group not on HAART. Some of the lesions were associated with discomfort during oral functions. (Eur J Dent 2011;5:291-298)

We investigated root and canal morphology of permanent mandibular molar teeth in a Ugandan population. Mandibular first (n = 224) and second (n = 223) molars were collected from patients visiting dental clinics in Kampala and prepared by a clearing technique. An endodontic access cavity was prepared in each tooth. The teeth were consecutively immersed in 5% sodium hypochlorite, 10% nitric acid, and 99% methyl salicylate. India ink was coronally injected into the pulp chamber and withdrawn apically by suction. The teeth were viewed under a magnifying lens and the numbers of root canals and their configurations, lateral canals, intercanal communications, and multiple apical foramina were recorded, along with the number of roots and their morphology. Student's t test for independent samples was used to assess significant differences in the root canal system. All specimens were two-rooted with one mesial and one distal root. Root fusion was more frequent in the second than in the first molar: 3.2% versus 0.4%. Vertucci type IV canal configuration was most frequently recorded in the mesial root of the first (44.6%) and second (49.8%) molars. Type 1 canal configuration was predominant in the distal root in first (84.8%) and second (94.2%) molars. Multiple apical foramina were more frequent in the first than in the second molar, as were intercanal communications and lateral canals. Type I and IV canal configurations were predominant in the distal and mesial roots, respectively, of both the first and second molars.

Objective: The aim was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with dental caries among adults and children in seven districts of Uganda. Methods: Participants aged 11-13 (n=1230) and 35-44 years (n=648) were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of Gulu, Soroti, Jinja, Masaka, Kabale, Kabarole and Hoima districts. They were examined by 4 trained and calibrated dentists for dental caries using Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth index as described by World Health Organisation. Results: Overall mean DMFT score was 0.73 for children and 4.71 for adults. Generally, there was a higher mean DMFT score in the rural (2.19) compared to urban areas (1.97). In all the districts, except Hoima, there was a higher mean DMFT score of children in rural compared to urban. In adults, similar trend was mainly registered in Masaka, Hoima and Gulu districts. Most participants (79.9%, n=1309) occasionally ate sugared snacks. Overall, 95% (n=1795) of the participants cleaned their teeth with plastic tooth brushes (71.7%) and chewing sticks (8.3%). Conclusion: Although the severity of dental caries was low, the disease was widespread in the study population. A high proportion of participants reported consumption of sugared snacks and drinks, which calls for oral health education.