Determination of medical conditions afflicting patients visiting dental clinics: A population-based survey study

Abstract

Introduction:The evaluation of medical history questionnaire in dental clinics is essential to formulate a proper treatment plan in medically complex patients. Besides, it is also a source of information for future correspondence. The percentage of people suffering from chronic medical illness has been steadily increasing. Thus, it is imperative that the dentist will encounter patients with chronic illness in routine practice. Pre-administered questionnaires are the most commonly used and reliable method of evaluating medical health of the visiting patient. The intent of the question pertaining to medical health must be modulated based on the dental treatment requirement. This study intends to evaluate such a similar questionnaire and derive percentages of chronic illness afflicting patients visiting the dental college in a span of 3 months. Materials and Methods: A total of 725 patients were evaluated in the period of 3 months. The randomization of the sample was quantified by using a Tippets randomization table. A pre-tested questionnaire comprising of a list of medical ailments was used. A list of 16 ailments was included, and the answers were sought in monosyllables of yes or no. Besides, adverse habits were also evaluated as these are risk factors for the underlying systemic disease. The results were calculated by deriving simple percentage and then tabulated. Results: A total of 725 subjects were evaluated. Majority of the respondents were in the older age group. The most common chronic illness afflicting the respondents was hypertension, followed by Diabetes. Conclusion: Thorough evaluation of medical history is essential before beginning to start dental treatment. The analysis of the questionnaire in this study indicates toward the varied medical problems afflicting patients visiting the dental clinics. The dentist must be well conversant with the common diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in order to institute the correct treatment without affecting the general health of the patient.

Prevalence and Variation of Medical Comorbidities in Oral Surgery Patients: A Retrospective Study at Jazan University

“…This study assessed the prevalence and various types of medical comorbidities amid patients in oral surgery clinics by examining the records of patients who were treated during a single academic period of 1 year at the College of Dentistry, Jazan University. The main findings of the study revealed that out of the total patients observed (n=640), the prevalence of patients with medical comorbidity was 27.5% (n=176), which is similar to that observed in recent studies by Lakhani et al (23.4%; n=1867) [ 41 ], Alonaizan et al (25.7%; n=1502) [ 42 ], Chandler et al (30.6%;n=716) [ 43 ], Shetty et al (33%; n=725) [ 38 ], Gaphor et al (35.24%; n=1200) [ 44 ], and Sanguansin et al (30.5%; n=712) [ 45 ]. Among these studies, however, the study by Lakhani et al was done in oral surgery patients for a similar time period (1 year), while the findings of Alonaizan et al [ 42 ] were observed in a Saudi academic dental hospital over a period of 6 years.…”

“…Studies across several nations have provided evidence of a low to high prevalence of health situations among dental outpatients, thereby stressing the need of considering regional population characteristics. A prevalence of low (11.7% in Nigeria [ 31 ], 12.2% in Thailand [ 32 ], 27.7% in Ireland) [ 33 ] to moderate (38% in India [ 34 ], 42% in West Indies) [ 35 ] to very high (73.7% in Iran [ 36 ], 86% in Australia [ 37 ]), across different time periods (1991 to 2020) substantiates not only the rising prevalence, but also supports the findings of the estimated proportion of non-communicable disease burden, with an expected increase to 57% by 2020 [ 38 ], and possibly sheds a new light on early age affliction of such diseases (below the age of 50 years). Two studies determining medical comorbidity prevalence in dentistry, in periodontal patients, from different provinces of Saudi Arabia also indicate a similar trend from low (10% [n=576] in year 2003) [ 39 ] to high (40.21% [n=455] in year 2017) [ 40 ] prevalence.…”

“…A higher prevalence of medical comorbidities was observed, in ascending order, in studies by Javali et al (40.21%; n=455) [ 40 ], Mesgarzadeh et al (41.01%; n=968) [ 48 ], Al-Bayaty et al (41.9%; n=571)[ 33 ], Siddiqi et al (47%; n=12 960) [ 49 ], Kaur (48.2%; n=1260) [ 50 ], Saengsirinvin et al (55.45%; n=541) [ 51 ], Umino et al (64.2%; n=1012; elderly only) [ 52 ], Cottone et al (68.5%; n=4365) [ 53 ], and Maryam et al (73.3%; n=1188) [ 36 ], with the highest prevalence reported by Frydrych et al (86%; n=873) [ 37 ]. The differences in prevalence can be attributed to regional (country) population health differences (Saudi Arabia [ 39 , 40 , 42 ], Iran [ 36 , 48 ], India [ 38 , 47 , 50 ], Pakistan [ 41 , 49 ]), as substantiated by studies that determined regional differences in diseases [ 54 ]. The differences in prevalence can be also attributed to disparity due to differences in methodology, such as small sample sizes [ 35 – 38 , 41 – 43 , 45 , 48 ], large sample sizes [ 32 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 53 ], age groups (risk of disease increasing with advanced age) [ 36 ], sex differences in samples (certain diseases have more predilection according to sex) [ 35 ], and type of dental disease patients seeking treatment (periodontitis being more common is the most often sought treatment among all age groups) [ 55 ].…”

Women's HIV disclosure to the dentist: Does frequent contact matter?

“…45 Despite the oral cavity commonly serving as a mirroring indicator of underlying systemic disease, 46 prior studies documented low willingness of dental patients to disclose other stigmatized medical conditions, such as venereal diseases, tuberculosis, hepatitis, diabetes, and substance use. 29,[47][48][49][50][51] As such, frequent encounters in stigma-free dental settings and more direct exposure with the dentist may foster more trusting patient-dentist communication, as well as greater opportunities for patient education, that can alleviate patient concerns about medical disclosure. Alternatively, frequent dental care utilization may itself be a proxy for both access to dental care and trust and comfort in that dental practice.…”

“…In addition, the direct clinical relationship between HIV infection and oral health problems is well established, and oral manifestations were identified as critical clinical markers in the early diagnosis and progression of HIV infection 45 . Despite the oral cavity commonly serving as a mirroring indicator of underlying systemic disease, 46 prior studies documented low willingness of dental patients to disclose other stigmatized medical conditions, such as venereal diseases, tuberculosis, hepatitis, diabetes, and substance use 29,47–51 . As such, frequent encounters in stigma‐free dental settings and more direct exposure with the dentist may foster more trusting patient–dentist communication, as well as greater opportunities for patient education, that can alleviate patient concerns about medical disclosure.…”