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Oral
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Oral Health in the Global South
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Oral Health in the Global South

A special issue of Oral (ISSN 2673-6373).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2024) | Viewed by 6171

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zuhair Natto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
Interests: genetic epidemiology; infectious epidemiology; statistical genetics; cancer epidemiology; smokeless tobacco; clinical trials in periodontology and implant dentistry; quality of systematic reviews; and meta-analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Kehinde Kazeem Kanmodi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK
Interests: oral cancer; tobacco; alcohol; oral infection; oral and dental injury; sociobehavioural science; healthcare service; health policy; health administration; health education; health promotion; school health; rural health; global oral health; bibliometric analysis; systematic review; comprehensive narrative review
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK
Interests: oral cancer; tobacco; alcohol; oral infection; sociobehavioural science; healthcare service; health policy; health administration; health education; health promotion; school health; global oral health; bibliometric analysis; systematic review; comprehensive narrative review

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is a common saying that health is incomplete without oral health. This is true, as the mouth serves as a mirror of the body’s state of health, and as well the gateway to the body. Dental care professionals and public health/policy specialists play a very crucial role in ensuring the good oral health profile of the general population.

According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, there is an unequal distribution of the dental workforce globally. Based on the report, it was understood that the majority of the dental health workforce are in the Global North, while only very few are in the Global South. For example, only 1% of the total population of dentists are in Africa. Overall, this shows that there is a huge inequality gap in global oral healthcare.

Worisomely, a very recent report by the Global Burden of Disease Study Group revealed that about half of the world population experience diverse oral conditions. This group’s report, coupled with several other reports, further established that the burden of these oral conditions is concentrated in countries in the Global South. This is also another area of inequality that needs to be addressed.

The aim of this Special Issue is to create a collection of papers that address diverse areas of dental public health (community dentistry) with a focus on global health. Submissions regarding, but not limited to, oral epidemiology, oral health policy, oral health education, dental workforce development, dental care professions education, dental health insurance, neglected tropical oral diseases, and dental sociology are highly welcome.

Diverse manuscript types, including comprehensive narrative reviews, systematic reviews, bibliometric analyses, surveys, randomized control trials, commentaries, letters to editors, etc., can be submitted to this Special Issue.

Dr. Zuhair Natto
Dr. Kehinde Kazeem Kanmodi
Dr. Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Oral is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • oral and dental injury
  • sociobehavioural science
  • oral healthcare service
  • oral health policy and administration
  • oral health education and promotion
  • global oral health
  • oral disease prevention
  • oral epidemiology

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 7909 KiB  
Article
Variables Associated with Jaw Clicking in a South Australian Population: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Taseef Hasan Farook, Lameesa Ramees and James Dudley
Oral 2024, 4(2), 217-230; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral4020018 - 10 May 2024
Viewed by 362
Abstract
Background: The influence of medical and dental factors on jaw clicking within the South Australian population remains unexplored, and there is a lack of research on the impact of occlusal therapy on dynamic jaw movement parameters in this population. Purpose: This study investigated [...] Read more.
Background: The influence of medical and dental factors on jaw clicking within the South Australian population remains unexplored, and there is a lack of research on the impact of occlusal therapy on dynamic jaw movement parameters in this population. Purpose: This study investigated the potential significant associations between specific aspects of patient histories, occlusal therapy, and self-reported or observed jaw clicking in a population from the state of South Australia. Methods: Seventy individuals aged 18 to 65 participated in a cross-sectional study. Data collection included comprehensive medical, social, and dental histories, followed by evaluations of jaw function. Twenty-six out of the seventy individuals reported jaw clicking. Electrognathography assessed maximum mouth opening, surface electromyography evaluated masticatory muscle function, and joint vibration analysis measured individual joint vibration amplitudes and integrals. Logistic regression models analysed overall variable effects, while sub-models focused on predictors related to occlusal therapy, specifically orthodontic intervention. Independent t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests compared jaw functions between participants who received occlusal therapy and those who did not. Results: The number of third molars extracted, vitamin D deficiency, and self-reported mental health disorders (R2 = 0.414, p = 0.048) emerged as significant predictors for jaw clicking. Factors associated with occlusal therapy showed no significant association with jaw clicking (R2 = 0.59, p = 0.027). Furthermore, there were no significant differences observed in mouth opening (t-stat = −0.439, p = 0.662), muscle activity, and joint vibration analysis between participants who underwent occlusal therapy and those who did not. Conclusions: Within the selected study population and limited sample size, the number of third molars extracted, vitamin D deficiency, and self-reported mental health disorders were associated with jaw clicking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health in the Global South)
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11 pages, 1043 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Dental Health Outcomes from Two Outreach Camps in Zanzibar, Tanzania: 2019 and 2023
by Nutayla Al Harthy, Mohammed Al Ismaili and Abubaker Qutieshat
Oral 2024, 4(2), 185-195; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral4020015 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 421
Abstract
Background: In low- and middle-income countries, oral health is frequently marginalized due to limited dental care access. This cross-sectional study assesses the outcomes of dental outreach camps in Zanzibar, Tanzania, organized in 2019 and 2023, to understand their impact on addressing local oral [...] Read more.
Background: In low- and middle-income countries, oral health is frequently marginalized due to limited dental care access. This cross-sectional study assesses the outcomes of dental outreach camps in Zanzibar, Tanzania, organized in 2019 and 2023, to understand their impact on addressing local oral health needs over a four-year span. Methods: The study involved a thorough examination and analysis of clinical dental health data from both outreach camps. In 2019, 224 patients were examined, and in 2023, the number increased to 354. The assessment covered various dental health parameters, including dental caries, DMFT/dmft indices, enamel fluorosis, dental trauma, oral mucosa lesions, and non-carious tooth surface loss. Results: The analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in dental caries among adolescents and teens, decreasing from 62.5% in 2019 to 35.59% in 2023 (p < 0.0001). Similarly, the prevalence of teeth missing due to caries showed marked reductions from 40.2% to 9.04% in adolescents and teens (p < 0.0001) and from 25.89% to 11.86% among preschool and school-aged children (p = 0.004). Moreover, a significant change was observed in the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) scores, with cases showing no erosive tooth wear (BEWE = 0) decreasing from 49.1% to 33.3% (p = 0.016), and cases with initial loss of enamel surface texture (BEWE = 1) increasing from 47.3% to 61% (p = 0.044). Conclusions: The outreach camps conducted in 2019 and 2023 showed tangible improvements in certain dental health metrics, particularly a reduction in dental caries and missing teeth due to caries among adolescents and teens. However, the uptick in non-carious tooth surface loss points to emerging dental health concerns. These results underline the importance of sustained and targeted dental health interventions to improve oral health outcomes in underserved communities such as Zanzibar. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health in the Global South)
17 pages, 804 KiB  
Article
Factors Determining the Willingness of Nigerian Clinicians to Recommend Protected Oral Sex: An Online Exploratory Study
by Kehinde Kazeem Kanmodi, Jacob Njideka Nwafor, Ugochukwu Anthony Eze, Babatunde Abiodun Amoo, Afeez Abolarinwa Salami, Bello Almu, Mike Eghosa Ogbeide, Precious Ehi Obute, Timothy Aladelusi, Oladimeji Adebayo and Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi
Oral 2022, 2(4), 299-315; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral2040029 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2387
Abstract
Oral sex, a risky sexual behaviour, is now a common sexual behaviour in Nigeria. Nigerian clinicians play crucial roles in the promotion of healthy sexual behaviours among the lay public. This study seeks to identify those factors that determine the willingness of Nigerian [...] Read more.
Oral sex, a risky sexual behaviour, is now a common sexual behaviour in Nigeria. Nigerian clinicians play crucial roles in the promotion of healthy sexual behaviours among the lay public. This study seeks to identify those factors that determine the willingness of Nigerian clinicians to recommend protected oral sex to patients with history of oral sex practice. This study surveyed 330 clinicians in Nigeria, using an e-questionnaire circulated via WhatsApp and Telegram. The collected data were analysed using SPSS version 21 software. The majority (89.1%) of the respondents were willing to recommend protected oral sex for patients engaging in oral sex. Amidst all of the factors (sociodemographic factors, sexual history, etc.) investigated, only one factor (which was the uncertainty about the risk level of oral sex) was found to predict the willingness to recommend protective measures to patients on oral sex (OR = 3.06, p = 0.036). In conclusion, only few factors were found to influence Nigerian clinicians in engaging in patient education on safer oral sex practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health in the Global South)
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Review

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17 pages, 1543 KiB  
Review
Oral Cancer Disease among the Poor: A Sri Lankan Context
by Kalpani Senevirathna, Yovanthi Anurangi Jayasinghe, Shalindu Malshan Jayawickrama, Hemantha Amarasinghe and Ruwan Duminda Jayasinghe
Oral 2023, 3(3), 420-436; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral3030034 - 4 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2218
Abstract
Oral cancer (OC) is the 16th most common cancer worldwide. In Sri Lanka, OC is the most prevalent cancer among men and the eighth among women. In most instances, OC is preceded by clinically recognizable disorders appearing on the oral mucosa, termed oral [...] Read more.
Oral cancer (OC) is the 16th most common cancer worldwide. In Sri Lanka, OC is the most prevalent cancer among men and the eighth among women. In most instances, OC is preceded by clinically recognizable disorders appearing on the oral mucosa, termed oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). The distribution of OC among low- and middle-income socioeconomic groups contributes to various factors. Poor oral health literacy, a lower quality of higher education, and the economic burden results in neglected oral health. The further economic recession has led to the formation of risk habits, such as chewing betel quid, smoking and the consumption of alcohol, among these groups to minimize stress levels. But with a lack of oral health awareness, the incidences of OC increase in this category. This review elaborates on a few cross-sectional studies conducted in various locations in Sri Lanka, discussing the low awareness of neglected oral health, the usage of tobacco in a smokeless and non-smokeless manner, consuming alcohol, and the chewing of betel nuts. This review aims to overcome the barriers in these low- and middle-income socioeconomic groups in developing nations such as Sri Lanka by creating more awareness and minimizing the incidence and diagnosis and treatment at early stages to improve the quality of life as well as longevity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health in the Global South)
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