The traditional practice of canine bud removal in the offspring of Ethiopian immigrants

Abstract

BackgroundThe custom of canine bud removal has detrimental consequences on children’s general health and dental care. The objective of this study was to assess whether the prevalence of missing primary canines and dental defects in offspring of emigrants from Ethiopia is greater than in offspring of native Israeli parents of similar socioeconomic class.Methods477 children of Ethiopian descent and 317 offspring of native Israeli parents, from 21 nursery schools and kindergartens, underwent dental examinations aimed to determine the presence or absence of primary canines and of developmental enamel defects on adjacent teeth to the primary canines. For purposes of analysis, children were classified into two age groups: younger (ages 18–48 months) and older (ages 49–82 months).ResultsCanines were present in more Israeli than Ethiopian younger children, 87.5% vs. 42.3%, p=0.0001; and in more Israeli than Ethiopian older children, 92.6% vs. 40.4%, p=0.0001. More dental defects were detected in Ethiopian than in Israeli younger children, 32% vs. 3.9%, p=0.0001; and in more Ethiopian than Israeli older children, 31.2% vs. 5.8%, p=0.0001.ConclusionsThe prevalence of missing primary canines and dental defects was greater among offspring of parents who had emigrated from Ethiopia 15–20 years earlier than among offspring of native Israeli parents living in the same low socioeconomic neighborhoods.

The Dental Complications of Canine Tooth Bud Removal in 2-12 Years Old Children in North West Ethiopia

“…Only three patients (0.85%) had maxillary canine removed, which is comparable with the study done in the offspring of Ethiopian immigrants in Israel (30), where only one upper canine was removed. The majority (69.89%) of the participants had bilateral mandibular canine mutilated, of which, 49.46% of them had missed canine in both sides.…”

“…The majority (69.89%) of the participants had bilateral mandibular canine mutilated, of which, 49.46% of them had missed canine in both sides. This finding is low compared with the finding in the offspring of Ethiopian immigrants (84.4%) of missed canine in both sides (30). This might be due to incomplete removal of the canine tooth bud during IOM due to some change in the use of materials during oral mutilation (like garlic rub) in the study area.…”

“…This is low when compared with the study done in the Maasai community in Kenya (25), where 72% of the children had missed canine. However, this result is high when compared with the study done in the offspring of Ethiopians in Israel, where there was 29.6%-31.1%% of malformed enamel and 26.6%-29.8% of them had missed canine (30). This might be due to the variation in culture, accessibility, and affordability of dental facilities in these two countries and there is a strong belief in traditional healers and lack of awareness on the negative effects of the practice in the study area.…”

Infant oral mutilation in East Africa – therapeutic and ritual grounds

“…Among Ethiopian Jews who were airlifted into Israel in ‘Operation Solomon’ in 1991, extraction of canine buds was observed in 59% of children aged 3–12 years . This observation was corroborated and confirmed by a more recent study of native Israeli and children of Ethiopian parentage living under similar socio‐economic conditions, which compared 317 and 477 children, respectively, with regard to the presence of primary canines in two age groups (1.5–4 years and 4–7 years; . In both age groups, canines were seen among Israeli rather than among children of Ethiopian descent (87.5% vs. 42.3% in the younger group, 92.6% vs. 40.4% in the older group).…”

Experiences and perceptions of infant dental enucleation among Somali immigrants in Sweden: a phenomenographic study

“…However, a study on a group of children of Somali immigrants in England indicated that almost one third may have been subjected to IDE, and of those, 22% were born in England [8]. Prevalence as well as indication of continuance of IDE has also been reported in Israel [19,20].…”