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Objectives: Dental anxiety is a significant determinant of regular dental visits. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence and determinants of dental anxiety among adult patients at the dental center of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Subjects and Methods: A total of 390 respondents aged 16-89-year-old were interviewed for the study. The Participants were selected through a predetermined sequence of systematic random sampling and completed a questionnaire based on the Coral Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS). Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 (SPSS version 20, IBM Statistics, New York, USA) and means compared using Student's t-test and analysis of variance. Results: The prevalence of dental anxiety (CDAS ≥ 13) in the study population was 8.7% (n = 34), and the overall mean and standard deviation of CDAS was 7.81 ± 2.50. The total mean dental anxiety score and mean for each item were significantly higher in females than in males (t = 6.17 P = 0.016). There was a significant decrease in mean CDAS score with age (F = 14.51, P = 0.005). Mean CDAS score was significantly higher in respondents without formal education than those with formal education (t = 7.41, P = 0.005). The mean CDAS scores for root canal therapy were 9. 66 ± 3.16; extraction, 8.84 ± 2.33; filling, 6.45 ± 2.81; and scaling, 5.12 ± 1.87. The highest and lowest means were not significantly different (t = 2.73, P = 0.07). Conclusion: The prevalence of dental anxiety in the study sample was low. Whereas dental anxiety was significantly associated with age, gender, and educational status, there was no significant relationship between dental anxiety and type of dental treatment.

Background:The maintenance of optimum oral health is dependent on the efficacy of oral self-care. The objective of the present study was to evaluate oral self-care practices and knowledge among non-medical students at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.Materials and Methods:The cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate students at the University of Port Harcourt Nigeria, in January, 2014. Self-administered questionnaire elicited information on demography, frequency of tooth brushing, type of tooth brush, use of dental floss and previous visit to the dentist.Results:A total of 360 young adults, 188 males and 172 females, aged 18-33 years participated in the study. Brushing habits of the study population was at least once a day (90%). Approximately half (52.5 %) of the samples used medium-sized bristles and about 28.8% of the students replaced their toothbrush every 3 months. Regarding oral hygiene aids, few students, 5.8% and 4.2% used dental floss and mouthwash, respectively, as oral cleaning aid. Most of the students (71.6%) had never visited the dentist, 18.1% visited due to dental pain and 8.1% for extraction. Regarding knowledge on oral hygiene practice, approximately 60% of students knew that we have to brush our teeth twice daily, 31% knew we need to visit the dentist twice a year and only 18% knew what was dental floss.Conclusion:Oral hygiene practices among the students were poor. Therefore, oral health education and promotion is required to improve oral hygiene practices and health among young adults and the general population.

Objectives:The study was designed to determine the prevalence of dental caries and partial edentulism, in addition to assessing the oral hygiene status and restorative care among adults in a community-based outreach program in Port Harcourt.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults who participated in oral health screening program, which took place in Alakahia and Obigbo rural communities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. After a brief oral health education, clinical examination was conducted and the diagnosis of caries was made based on the guidelines laid down by World Health Organization. Prevalence of caries was measured using decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index, and oral hygiene status was assessed using the OHI-S. The restorative index [(F/F + D) ×100] was also calculated and the sociodemographic factors of the subjects were noted. Chi-square test, independent t-test and descriptive statistic were employed for analysis.Results:One fifty-five females (53.8%) and 133 males (46.2%) attended the events and their mean age was 29.3 ± 10.5 years. About one-third of the participants (35.1%) presented with dental caries. The mean DMFT for the whole group was 0.67 ± 2.0. The restorative index for the subjects was 26.8%. The oral hygiene status of most of the participants was fair. This was significantly better in females than in males (P = 0.002).Conclusion:Although about one-third of the participants had dental caries, only a quarter of them had received restorative care. Most of the respondents had fair and poor oral hygiene, this suggests the need to educate and motivate the community toward adopting and maintaining positive oral health attitudes and practices.

Background: Data on oral health experiences among pregnant women in developing countries are lacking. The objective of this study was to assess the oral health awareness and experience among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the