Oral Health Status and Patterns of Dental Service Utilization of Adolescents in Lesotho, Southern Africa

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the best predictors for unmet dental treatment needs and patterns of dental service utilization by adolescents in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Southern Africa. A self-reported 40-item oral health survey was administered, and clinical oral examinations were conducted in public schools in Maseru from August 10 to August 25, 2016. Associations between psychosocial factors with oral health status and dental service utilization were evaluated using simple, bivariate, and multivariate regressions. Five hundred and twenty-six survey responses and examinations were gathered. The mean age of student participants was 16.4 years of age, with a range between 12 and 19 years of age. More than two thirds (68%; n = 355) of participants were female. The majority reported their quality of life (84%) and general health to be good/excellent (81%). While 95% reported that oral health was very important, only 11% reported their personal dental health as excellent. Three percent reported having a regular family dentist, with the majority (85%) receiving dental care in a hospital or medical clinic setting; only 14% had seen a dental professional within the previous two years. The majority of participants did not have dental insurance (78%). Clinical examination revealed tooth decay on 30% of mandibular and maxillary molars; 65% had some form of gingivitis. In multivariate analysis, not having dental education and access to a regular dentist were the strongest predictors of not visiting a dentist within the last year. Our results suggest that access to oral health care is limited in Lesotho. Further patient oral health education and regular dental care may make an impact on this population.

Oral health status and related risk factors among adolescents attending high schools in Khartoum, Sudan: A cross-sectional study

“…8 Moreover, it is suggested that the burden of African life outweigh the need to seek treatments for dental caries. 8,26 In this study, the periodontal health was assessed using the highest CPI score and revealed that the most frequently observed condition was calculus with or with-out bleeding. This is comparable with results from different regions in Sudan, where calculus was found to be the most prevalent periodontal manifestation among Sudanese adults using different periodontal indices.…”

Oral Health and Psychosocial Predictors of Quality of Life and General Well-Being among Adolescents in Lesotho, Southern Africa

“…As a part of the bigger project, only some aspects of the gathered data are presented in this manuscript. Refer to Jessani et al, 2021 for the detailed methodology and data collection process [ 23 ].…”

“…Disposable sundries, including dental mirrors, tongue depressor, cotton roles, and magnification loupes, were utilized for clinical examinations. Oral health education sessions were conducted in each high school and all the participants were provided with oral hygiene products [ 23 ].…”

“…Missing data were replaced with the overall mean or median of that variable. Forty items were analyzed for the purpose of this manuscript, whereas other important findings are presented in Jessani et al, 2021 [ 23 ].…”

Dental Caries and Oral Health in Children—Special Issue

“…This study showed that only 14% of adolescents had seen a dental professional within the previous two years. They found that not having dental education and access to a regular dentist were the strongest predictors of not visiting a dentist last year [9].…”